AUSTRALIA'S PROSPECTS

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 1 (Supplement)

AUSTRALIA'S PROSPECTS

IN TEST CRICKET MATCHES.

THE POSSIBLE TEAM.

The announcement of the personnel of the English team has already started discussion atout the strength of the team that will endeavour to retain the ashes for Australia.

In the last two series of Test matches in 1920 and 1921 there was no doubt about the superiority of Australia, and a record of eight consecutive wins in Tests is not likely to be beaten for I many years to come.

But four years have passed since the last English eleven visited Australia, and the hand of time falls heavily on a cricketer after he has reached a certain age.

The Sheffield Shield matches of thepast season indicated that some of the "indispensables" among the batsmen are no longer sighting- the ball as they did four years ago, and that their hand i 3 not responding as it used to do to the direction of the brain.

Thus men like Bardsley, Andrews, Macartney and Ryder would not be among the first men picked on last season's form, and it must be on that form chiefly that the team for the first test match will be selected. But the decline of such men as these has been balanced by the rising of new stars in Ponsford, Kippax and Woodfull, and the splendid form with the bat displayed by the two Rikhardsons of South Australia. Batting Strength O.K. One need not worry about Australia's batting strength, and there are so many fine batsmen that there will be no necessity to pick men who are not good fieldsmen as well. Like England, Australia will find the bowling the chief difficulty, and the injury to Gregory's knee, combined with McDonald's departure for England, has made the problem a most serious one.

According to latest advices, Gregory is confident that he will be fit and well. If his confidence is justified, he will be the first man picked for Australia. To support him, Kelleway, Mailey, Hartkopf, Ryder, A. Richardson, Macartney and Liddicut offer a fair range of variety from which a choice can be made. Grimmett may be in the picture as well. At this stage a likely twelve for the first match are: —Gregory, Collins, Ponsford, Kippax, Kellaway, A. Richardson, Mailey, Macartney, Love (or Oldfield), V. Richardson, Woodfull, Ryder.

All of these, except Mailey, arc batsmen, and six of them are bowlers. With the exception of A. Richardson and Ryder, they are all first class in the field.