CRICKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 71, 4 January 1935, Page 2

CRICKET.

HAWKE CUP MATCH ABANDONED IPALMERSTON N, January 3. The Hawke Cup cricket match, Poverty Bay v. Manawatu, was abandoned owing to rain. SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCH. QUEENSLAND DEFEATS NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, January 3. In the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, New South Wales, in their second innings, had lost four wickets for 286 runs, when rain caused the abandonment of the match (Fingleton 108, Kippax not out 40). Oxenham took two for 92. Queensland won on the first innings by 177 runs. , ' TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. The following will represent theii respective clubs in cricket competition matches to-morrow:— v Kia Ora. Against Methven, at Kia Ora—B. T. Clothier, S. W. Kerr, J. Dillon, H. Lennon, F. Holloway, C. Hansen, V. J. Stills, O. J. Stills, L. Moore, L. Chambers and R. Wear. Emergencies: M. Walls and A. McLennan. Ashburton. A team v. Rakaia, on the Oval —I. M. Hamilton, M. O'Reilly, H. O. Hynam,' A. A. Todd, M. Keeley, F. Fogarty, G. d'Auvergne, T. Hanley, M. Laing, G. Heasley and P. Fear. B team v. Methven, at Methven —J. Pritchard, P. Harper, 0. G. Harper, B. McSherry, it. Fear, J. Varcoe, B. McMillan, T. Newton, I. Edmistone, I. Gilchrist and" J. Pattle. TEAM BUILDING FOR S. AFRICA. NEED FOR REINFORCEMENTS. It may seem premature ''to discuss, at this stage, the composition of the Australian cricket team to go to South Africa next season, but history has shown us very definitely' that it is never too early to start the process of team-building (writes A. G. Moyes, former inter-State player, in the Sydney "Sun.") Already there are gaps to be filled. Men who have been corner-stones in, our cricket house have dropped out. Others are showing signs of wear as, the years pass by and here we must needs also find someone to reinforce them, lest the structure of our team, allowed to deteriorate, fell to pieces overnight. Australian cricket youth has ever bpen found ready to step forward at the required time and to' revitalise the side with its mixture of exuberance, daring and skill. What lias been will be—provided the opportunity is offered. , And now to come down to cases. W. Woodfull and W. H. Ponsford have packed away their Test match clothes, and, though they will continue to wear the more subdued attire of grade eric-' ket, will never again, they say, tempt the fates of bigger games. If we are to accept this as definite Ave must at once seek two successors, and, fortunately, we have not far to look. J. Fingleton and W. A. Brown fill the bill admirably and they haye the years before them. Brown has already made his mark in England and Fingleton is now proving what some of us know—that he can play aggressively without losing any of his defensive qualities. Indeed if, last season, he had batted as he had done this season, I feel sure that he would have spent our winter in England. Of the other members of Woodfull's side, T. W. Wall, C. V. Grimmett, E. H. Bromley andi H. I. Ebeling must be placed on the doubtful list, for I am assuming that it will be possible for W. J. O'Reilly to remain in the S ame - . , . , Wall cannot retain Ins pace much longer and it is likely that his] best days\ are passed. To replace him is not an easy matter, as all the world knows that in men of pace we are extraordinarily ill-served. E. L. MeCormick, of Victoria, is the

logical successor, < ,and, given the incentive, might easily build up and gain an extra yard or two. Grimmett is, of course, a finer bowler in England than in Australia, and is such an ever-green that it is conceivable that he may again tour. Somehow or other, however, one feels that he is drawing near the end of a grand career, though we can devoutly wish that it were not so. Here we have offering as a candidate Hughie Ohilyers, whose motto in the past has been "So near and yet so far." I doubt if any of the slow men can at the moment match Hughie on our wickets, and I would dearly love to see him win his Australian, blazer. Hans Ebeling came into Test cricket a little late, and his future is, perhaps, obscure. His form this ye|r will undoubtedly be closely scrutinised. Bromley, too, is a doubtful one. It is not too much to say that in England he did not live up to the anticipations of his admirers, and it is as yet by no means certain that he is a real Test player. In fact, Bromley has yet to provo himself. There are others, too, who must fight to keep their places. A. G. Chipperfield must prove himself out here before, he can be regarded as a certain choice. At the moment there is not a plethora of youthful talent. I have no doubt that history will repeat itself and that C. L. Badcoek and others will prove themselves 'nti to wear the green and gold. But we must not forget that first of all there must be the opportunity and then the nerve and skill to seize it; , . A prospective . team at this very early stage would be:—Bradman (captain), McCabe (vice-captain), Oldfield, O'Reilly, McCormiek, Chilvers, Brown, Fingleton, Darling, Barnett, Fleet-wood-Smith, Ebeling, Chipperfield.