SECOND TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 146, 22 June 1934, Page 7

SECOND TEST.

PONSFORD PROBLEM. Lord's Wicket Is Likely to Assist Fast Bowlers. BRADMAN HANDICAPPED. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11. a.m.) LONDON, June 21. Ponsford attended at Lord's to-day too weak to practise, consequently the decision whether he will play in the second Test was deferred until to-morrow, when it is hoped that he will be fit. In the event of Ponsford being tinavailable Bromley is likely to be chosen. A later message states that Ponsford returned to bed immediately after the practice at Lord's and now is unlikely to play unless he makes a striking overnight recovery.

Bradman is still limping slightly. His movements in the Test are certain to be handicapped. j All the other Australians, except Grimmett, who is resting, enjoyed light practice, at which a heavy shower fell towards the finish. The wicket is likely to assist the fast bowlers. The outfield is exceptionally hard and rough. | The wicket has been covered in expectation of heavy rain; The Air Ministry forecasts rain and cloudy skies to-morrow. Wyatt batted at Coventry and wore a metal shield with a padded glove. He hit confidently and apparently without difficulty. The English captain said: "My thumb stood the strain and did not inconvenience mo at all. I shall turn up at Lord's full of the expectation of playing." "A clouting policy won't win the Test," says'D. R.. Jardine in the "Evening Standard." "Some say that if only our attacking batsmen—Hammond, Hendren, Ames, Barnett and Leyland— treated O'Reilly and Grimmett as club bowlers they would clout them all over the field at the rate of a hundred runs an hour. I cannot subscribe to this view as being sound tactics." ABOUT THE TEAMS. THE PROBABLE ELEVENS. The 14 players from whom the English team will be chosen include nine who played in the first Test: Walters, Fames, Sutcliffe, Hammond, Hendren, Leyland, Ames, Verity and Geary. Then there are R. E. Wyatt, England's official captain, who was kept out of the first Test by a thumb injury, Bowes and Nichols, who were in the first 14, and two new men in C. J. Barnett (Gloucester) and A. R. Gover (Surrey). Pataudi (batsman) and Mitchell {slow bowler) have been dropped. Wyatt will lead the side, but beyond statements that the wicket is likely to favour fast bowling, no indication has been given of the probable final composition of the English side. The hint about fast bowlers read in conjunction with Jardirie's views seems to indicate the possibility of the inclusion of Bowes and Nichols, in which case Walters may be dropped. The Australian team which won the first Test was: Woodfull (captain), Ponsford, Brown, Bradman, McCabe, Darling, Oldfield, Chipperfield, Wall, O'Reilly, Grimmett. It seems certain that Ponsford will not be able to take the field, in which event the vacancy will be filled according to the weather indications. Those on the spot appear to favour Bromley. This match, liko all but the final Test, is limited to four days' duration. AMERICANS ON TOP. __^ LONDON TENNIS TOURNAMENT. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, June 21. The quarter-finals of the London lawn tennis championships resulted in victories for the four members of the United States Davis Cup team: — S. B. Wood beat D. Jones (Britain), C—3, C —3. L. R. Stocffcn beat Fujikura (Japan), 6—4, B—6. F. X. Shields beat Bernard (France), 12—10, 6—4. G. M. Lott beat Yamagishi (Japan), j o—4, 2—o, o—4.0 —4.