Preparing For The Resumption Of Test Cricket

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 76, 31 March 1945, Page 3 (Supplement)

Preparing For The Resumption Of Test Cricket

The announcement thut representative Australian, South African, West Indian, and Canadian sides, will play matches at Lord's next season presents an opportunitv to get the nucleus of the England representative side which may be playing Test matches against either Australia or South Africa in 1946.

Most of the men who nave played for England in the pre-war period are now approaching th.e veteran stage, and it is imperative that some of the more promising younger players are "blooded" in the exacting atmosphere of Lord's in games against Dominion elevens, writes our London correspondent.

Stars like Denis Compton and Hardstaff are now in India, but assuming that some of the rest of the Service players are available, there is no reason why unofficial Tests should not be played against representative sides chosen from the pick of the Dominions players here.

Since the R.A.A.F. team gave even the best of our players something to think about last season, the addition of the best of the South Africans, West Indians, and even Canadians would give us a line on the chances of this country against Australia in post-war cricket.

Here is a team which is largely composed of young players, some of them not so well known as they might be, which might well form the basis for a future international eleven: Hutton (Yorks), Robertson (Middlesex), Fishlock (Surrey), Washbrook (Lanes), D. Brookes (Northants), Todd (Kent), Wilson (Gloucs), Howorth (Worcs), Pollard (Lanes), Perks (Worcs), and Wilkinson (Lanes).

This is in the order of going in, and it will be seen that the batting is very strong down to No. 8, with the last three admittedly providing something of a "tail." There are five bowlers, with Perks and Pollard for the fast medium stuff, Todd and Howorth, medium and slow left-hand, and Wilkinson, right-hand leg-breaker. At a pinch Hutton could be utilised for his right-hand slow "tweakers." The wicket-keeper, A. Wilson, has shown his worth since he was discarded by Middlesex and secured by Gloucester. He is a most useful lefthand batsman, too, which gives us three of this type in the side. Three Lancastrians are included— which may cause some criticism— but Lancashire is one county which has played very little cricket during the war, and obvious choices such as Leyland and Hammond are purposely omitted since they can hardly be called "young and promising."

In any case, this side would give a good account of itself against Keith Miller, Christofani, C. B. Clarke, etc., and would provide a most valuable index for future international matches.