AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1926, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

" PLUM" WARNER'S REVIEW. COLTS OUT OF THE RUNNING. LONDON, January 29. A very critical and informative review o{ the Australian cricket team, which has been selected to tour England" this year has been written by P. F. Warner for the "Morning Post." The writer says he has a suspicion that the selectors leaned too readily on veterans and were also in too great a hurry to select the team. This policy seems to bear harshly on the young players who have become prominent since 1921 and have now been passed over. Warner mentions V. Richardson, Pritchard. Rymill, Kippax and Alexander, and says: "Nevertheless it would be a rash critic who would venture to say the selected men do not deserve inclusion in a representative Australian side. Not being able to produce a pair of fast bowlers the Australians have banked on the 'googlies' of Grimmett on the new English wickets. Therefore I am convinced that the ability of the Australians to win the rubber will depend largely on whether Grimmett is successful. "There is no question of the tremendous batting strength of the team. The last four batsmen will probably be Richardson, Gregory, Oldfield and Grimmett. Our bowlers may well spend sleepless nights in wondering how they are going to dislodge them. "The batting strength of both sides makes it doubtful whether a definite result will be achieved in the first four Test matches. There is a strong feeling that four days should be allotted to each match." At the annual meeting of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Lord Hawke said he did not agree with the suggestion that county matches should be reduced in Test cricket years. "The Australians have a long programme and much travelling and entertainment," he said. "Therefore our chances will not be endangered on this score." Referring to four-day Test matches Lord Hawke said it was too late now to alter the arrangements. He thought that if there was a will to play the game and not to sit and snlice, the present fairly long hours would enable matches to be concluded.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS. SYDNEY, January 29. The Cricket Board of Control has appraved the selection of the throe additional players, all of whom have accepted the invitation to join the team which is to make the English tour. It is officially announced that Everett is to be included as the second fast bowler. Tho critics generally consider that the selectors erred in selecting 12 certainties early in the season. They express the opinion that the younger players should have replaced some of the older men in the interests of the future of the game. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)