Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125709
australian '----speedway_ scene , By Peter White British speedway test team riders in action in Perty, Western Australia. Left to right, !by Trigg, Arnold Haley, Nigel Boocock. British Team Weai SYDNEY Australia leads Great Britain 3-0 in the speedway Test series currently being staged Down Under. First two matches between the arch-rival countries were held in Perth, Western Australia, late in November and resulted in resounding wins for the home side. Australia won the initial encounter 58-50, then backed up a_week later to soundly thrash the highly vaunted British by 61 p oin ts to 46. Focus then switched across the Continent to Adelaide, South Australia, where the third Test was decided on Saturday, December 5. Again the Kangaroos proved superior, although this time they had to work a little harder for their 55.53 win. To emphasize the strength of the local side, or rather the weakness of the touring team, is the fact that Australian mainstay, Kangaroo captain and highest point scorer in all previous series both in England and Australia, - Jim Airey has declined to take part in the Tests this season. Airey is in dispute with Aussie promo ten over appearance money rates. Australia has relied heavily upon younger talent this year and, employing a "horses fOT courses" policy, has really struck pay dirt. Top point scorer to date is a young South Australian rider, Laurie Hodgson. This lad was virtually unknow,n ,before the Tests kicked off but suddenly he has become the rage of the country's dirt tracks. He has received solid backing from colorful Sydney rider' John Langfield and stand-in captain Chum Taylor, a veteran of over 20 years racing. Taylor hails from Perth, Next four Tests in the seven match series will be 'staged in Sydney and Brisbane. The big Sydney Showground track is expected to provide another stumbling block for the British tearn and it is quite probabLe Australia will go through the series unbeaten. While no credit should be taken from the performance of the 'Roos, much criticism must be laid on the British team. The side is undoubtedly the weakest to tour this country and is a disgrace to M the. Lions jackets. '" There are only six fully fit members, " instead of the usual seven which the Australian promoter's contract calls for, and three of these are almost useless on the fast, racy Australian tracks - as each of the riders has proven in the past. The team is: Nigel Boocock (captain), Ken McKinlay, Chris Pusey, Bob Kilby, ~ Arnold Haley and Roy Trigg, w Only Boocock, Pusey and Haley have Z ridden with the dash their reputations W ..J carry. '-' >McKinlay, Trigg and Kilby '-' although fliers in the British League are well out of sorts in Aussie and seem unable to adjust. Seventh member of the team is Jim McMillan but his worth is as a spectator only and the English Control Board deserves the severest admonishment for allowing McMillan to take his place in the squad. The forceful young Scot broke a leg in a test in Sweden tlnee mon lhs ago' and was actually replaced by Tony Clarke for the Aussie tour. Then the powers-that-be declined to let Clarke travel and instead sanctioned the inclusion of an UNFIT McMillan in the team - a grave error and one that has all Australia figh ting mad. In a niJ tsh ell, Australian promoters and audiences are really being taken for a ride with the unattractiveness of the / British team this season. McMillan missed the fust Test, rode three races in the second match and is :. (Please turn to pg. 19) on t a COTA 247 TRIALS e speciaize it Jawa/C-Z,] C the specialty machines. 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