ENGLAND'S TEAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1926, Page 8

ENGLAND'S TEAM.

ROOTING" FOR ROOT.

THE CRITICS WANT HIM.

' ; SUNDAY TIMES " PREDICTION. LONDON, June 6. The "Sunday Times" predicts that England's eleven for the first Test match against the Australians on June 12 will be as follows:— Hobbs, Hearne, Hendren, Woolley, Carr, Chapman, Kilner, Tate, Macaulay, Root and Smith. The paper says: "We cannot do without Root, but if we play him we must strengthen the batting and play Smith (Warwickshire) instead of Strudwick." Coming so quickly after the Austra* Hans' collapse against North of England, yesterday's display at Bradford rather tends to destroy the belief that the visitors are a super side, says the "Observer." Crawford, bowling at a medium pace, varied his deliveries in clever fashion. Dealing especially with Root's performance the paper says the brilliance of his bowling was no more outstanding than the feebleness of the Australians' batting. Root bowled no better than he had done often in county matches when he has proved more expensive.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)

ENGLISH " TEST TRIAL."

AN INTERESTING CONTEST.

*. LONDON, June 6. The Test match* trial, England v. the Rest, was commenced to-day. Durston replaced Root, who is suffering from a cold. Smith and Strudwick changed sides. Fender (the Rest) won the toss and elected to bat.

The opening batsmen were cautious owing to the superb length kept by Kilner and Tate. Hearne, with classic strokes, livened up play, but he was unlucky to be caught from the shoulder of his bat. Sandham was sound but uninspiring.

After luncheon, however, this batsman was freer and maintained a uniform rate of scoring with Tyldesley, but they were both very slow. Kilner maintained accuracy, while tbe batsmen's opportunities were further restricted when Tate and Macaulay were bowling.

A crowd of 3000 people ironically cheered Sandham,- who -was missed when he had made 30 by Allen. Then Allen retrieved his mistake by holding a good catch. Runs continued to come slowly until Duleep Singhi commenced. He batted very confidently and gracefully, cutting and driving- hard. He met the frequent changee in the bowling with calm confidence. He gave a difficult chance when he had made 40 to second slip, but it was dropped. His was a finished exhibition. The other batsmen were dismissed without trouble. Holmes went out in the third over in England's innings. He was beaten all the way. Joined by Woolley, Hobbs turned Larwood to the boundary and followed with a clever leg stroke and two hard drives. Three of England's wickets fell in 35 minutes, and in addition Hobbs had two lives, being missed when he was nine and 13. Details of the scores are:— REST OF ENGLAND.—First Innings. Hallows, b Kilner 17 Sandham, c Allen, b Tate 34 Hearne, c Carr, b Tate 11 Tyldesley,' c Smith, b Tate 17 Duleep Singhi, b Woolley 51 Shepherd, c Smith, b Kilner 8 Jupp, b Tate 23 Fender, b Allen 4 Larwood, b Tate 16 Durston, b Woolley 0 Strudwick, not out 9 Extras 21 Total 211 Bowling Analysis.—Tate took five wickets for 44 runs, Kilner two for 50, Woolley two for 15, Allen one for 51. EMJLAXC I .—First Innings. Hobbs, not out 13 Holmes, b Larwood 3 Woolley, c Fender, b Larwood .... 21 Carr, b Larwood ..■ 0 Extra X 1 Total for three wickets 38 — (Eeuter.)