Ron Halcombe - Move To Western Australia and Throwing Incidents

Move To Western Australia and Throwing Incidents

During the 1929–30 season, Halcombe's career appeared to be on the up when he was selected for a trial match that was used to select Australia's Test team for the 1930 tour of England. In his first match of the season against the Marylebone Cricket Club, Halcombe took 3/35 and 2/30, including noted batsman Frank Woolley, but was unable to prevent a seven-wicket defeat.

However, his career turned sour in a match against Victoria in January 1930. After contributing three not out in Western Australia's first innings of 187, Halcombe opened the bowling for Western Australia from the pavilion end of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He delivered the first three balls to Clive Sindrey who took a single from the third ball. Leo O'Brien then faced Halcombe and umpire Andrew Barlow no-balled Halcombe six times in succession from square leg. One of the balls struck O'Brien in the hand and forced him to retire with a burst blister on the palm, while another went for four byes. After the first two no ball decisions, the Western Australian captain Richard Bryant conferred with Barlow, but when Halcombe resumed, the umpire continued to call him for throwing. After the sixth no ball, Halcombe threw the ball to his skipper in disgust. After another discussion, he bowled at significantly reduced pace and completed his over. Victoria took a lead of 22, before Western Australia compiled 311, with Halcombe scoring 10 not out. With Halcombe out of the attack, Victoria went on to win by four wickets.

Despite the incident regarding Halcombe's legitimacy, Halcombe was selected for Western Australia's following match, which was against Tasmania. It was the first match between the two states and raised an issue of cricket diplomacy. In welcoming his visitors, Lieutenant Colonel L. M. Mullen, chairman of the Tasmanian Cricket Association stated that he viewed the match as a "Test" and that it was regarded as a notable even in the history of Australian cricket. The Western Australian manager Alf Randall replied that he eagerly awaited the day when each Australian state played in the Sheffield Shield – Tasmania did not gain admittance until the 1970s. It was believed that although there was pressure for Halcombe to be omitted, the Western Australian leadership wanted other umpires in other states to analyse his action in a match situation. According to Randall, leading Australian Test batsman of the day Bill Ponsford and former player turned journalist Jack Worrall regarded Halcombe as legitimate so it was reasoned by the Western Australians that there were no grounds to exclude Halcombe.

During the match, Halcombe was twice no-balled by umpire A. J. Buttsworth on the first day, and then ten times in succession by umpire Walter Lonergan. This did not occur when Halcombe was switched to the opposite end. The match at Hobart's TCA ground had seen Western Australia bat first and compile 248 before being dismissed late on the first day, with Halcombe scoring three. After the change of innings, Tasmanian openers Jim "Snowy" Atkinson and Alf Rushforth started their innings at 17:10 local time with Rushworth taking strike to Halcombe, who ran in from the pavilion end. Buttsworth called Halcombe from square leg on the third ball. Halcombe was bowling at such a pace that the wicket-keeper and slips were standing about 20 metres behind the stumps. Lonergan, standing at the bowler's end, also no-balled Halcombe for dragging his back foot over the crease. On the eighth ball, Buttsworth called Halcombe for another throw. After Alex Webster bowled an over from the other end, Halcombe continued from the pavilion end and was greeted with applause from the crowd. Halcombe sent down another two overs without incident.

The second day started dramatically when Halcombe bowled from the opposite end and bowled the second over of the day, with Lonergan standing at square leg. His first ball was deemed to be legitimate but from then on there was a continuous call of no ball, for ten consecutive deliveries. Halcombe then substantially reduced his pace and completed the over after 18 balls. Although Bryant did not switch Halcombe to the other end in the first match, he did so on this occasion. Halcombe continued bowling and there were no further no ball calls. During the ten consecutive no balls, Lonergan had remained firm despite continuous heckling from a section of the crowd who showed their support of the bowler. Halcombe persevered and ended the innings with 3/61 from 20 overs. His action was much discussed, in particular his faster ball. The opening batsmen Rushforth and Atkinson played Halcombe in a diplomatic manner, making little effort to attack his bowling in the midst of the throwing calls.

Tasmania took a 42-run lead and Western Australia made 7/303 before declaring, with Halcombe not being required to bat. Halcombe went on to bowl two overs without incident in the second innings of the match as Tasmania ended at 1/42 when time ran out. Much anticipation surrounded his return to his home town of Adelaide the following week for a match against South Australia, with one of the umpires being Hele. Halcombe spoke in an interview to Adelaide's Advertiser in which he declared that he was adamant that his bowling was "quite legal". Halcombe asserted that only one of the eight deliveries that he bowled under a slow motion camera could be considered to be of a doubtful nature. Halcombe again passed Hele's scrutiny unscathed, but his bowling failed to worry the South Australians, who plundered 100 runs from 13 overs for the loss of only one wicket. To make things worse, Halcombe made a pair as his team crashed to defeat by an innings and 234 runs. Debate over the legality of his action continued during the season, with former umpire Bob Crockett supporting his no-balling while former Test captain Joe Darling disagreed. Halcombe was the first player in major cricket in Australia to be called for throwing by three different umpires.

In the final match of the season, Halcombe represented Western Australia against the 1930 Australian team, who were warming up for the 1930 tour of England. Halcombe bowled nine wicketless overs for 47 runs, as the national team won by an innings with 25 runs. He was unbeaten in both innings, not scoring in the first innings and making his highest first-class score of 14 in the second. He ended the season with nine wickets at 31.33 and 34 runs at 8.50.