Death Blow For Body-line

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7284, 11 October 1933, Page 7

Death Blow For Body-line

Next Year’s Australian Tour of England

ASSURANCE GIVEN BY M.C.C.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Tuesday, 11.10 p.m. SYDNEY, Oct. 10.

The death-knell of body-line bowling has apparently been sounded, judging from the text of cables that have passed between the Australian Board of Control and tho M.C.G., which were made availablo this afternoon. Tho substance of tho Australian board’s cablegram is that wliile legtheory bowling, as practised fer many years, is not open to objection, “we feel that a continuance of the type of bowling to which exception is taken in Australia, while strictly not in conflict with the laws of cricket, would not bo in the best interests of t.hc game. May we assumo that you concur and that tho teams will be ablo to take the field in 1934 with that knowledge? ‘ ‘We are giving consideration to the question of barracking, and you can rely on our using our best endeavours to have it controlled in future. We are most anxious that the cordial relations between Australian and English cricket lovers shall continue.”

The M.C.C. reply heartily reciprocates the desire for a continuance of the cordial relations and says; “Any point of difference between us seems rather on. tho question of fact than any point of interpretation of the laws of cricket or the spirit of the

game. "The M.C.C. agrees, and has always agreed, that a form of bowling which is obviously a directed attack by the bowler on the batsman would be an offence against the spirit of the game, and your team can certainly take the field with the knowledge and full assurance that cricket will be played here In the same spirit as in tho past and with tho single desire to promote the best interests of tho game in both countries.

“The M.C.C. much appreciates your action in regard to future control of barracking in order to keep it within reasonable bounds. Your team, can rely on a warm welcome from the M.C.C.”