CRICKET.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 12

CRICKET.

THE SEW ZEALAND TEAM. MR H. TRUMBLE'S OPINION. SUCCESS PREDICTED. i?T.t-! ISSCCIA".IO:r TEI.EOS.VM.) V/ELLIXGTOX. February 10. Tlic infringer of the Melbourne cricket team now touring New Zealand, Mr If. Trumble, arrived by the Mnmna from •Sydney to-day. lie was accompanied by Mr J. K. Bartow, whose membership of the Melbourne Cricket Club goes back 4S years. Mr Harlow stated that the club had a membership r,f ,".jOO. Out of members' subscript ions quite a quarter of a million sterling has been spent on building up the ground alone. At present they were considering a proposal to put up a new paviliou at a cost of X, 011,000, and were just completing a civiitc'i' si ami on the public side which, wic.i finished, wou'd co t about L' 12.00). 't'hi! ground would accommodate Ofy 000 people at a football match. "The New Zealand Cricket Council," said Mr Trnmble, "sent a special invitation to Ponsford, of Victoria, to join the Melbourne team, and he was anxious to accept tho invitation. He would have been an attraction and the Melbourne team would have been very pleased lo have him with them, but" I had information just before leaving, that lie was unable to accept the invitntion. Ho was keen to coino at the end of the Macartney match. The Melbourne team now touring New Zealand represents our best eleven," he said. In reply to questions, Mr Trumble said ho.thought tho New Zealand team would do very well in England. Of course, ho did", not expect they would defeat the first-class Counties, but they should get a fair number of wins against the others. Tho Melbourne team was quite up to the nvorngo of English County form. Xew Zealand would have the* advantage that English wickets were very similar to those of New Zealand, and not as hard as concrete, like thoso of Australia and a. lefthand medium paced bowler should succeed, but not a slow left-hander. The fact that there wore two or thrco lefthanders in the New Zealand team would bo a source of strength to them for, on a sticky wicket, a left-hander would be an acquisition. In sending a team to England for tho first tinio it was dcsirablo that there should bo a stiffening of old players. Ho had known Kortlnng since youth as a vory fino bat and ho would have been an excellent man to send with them.

The Age Question. A question promoted by tho controversy which raged in New Zealand at ono time brought the replyJhat Kortlong was 43 yeare of ago. Mr frumble pointod out that if a young team got a hiding it was opt to discourage them. In Atfltralia a couplo of the bes- bata might go out quickly, but as long as there was a man like Armstrong to go in they would not reckon tho side was done. As to the number of players which should comprise a touring team, it was a good number provided they met with no accidents and sickness, but if there was another good man available he would take 15, but not more. • , Another man would cost money, iw said, but "there is nothing like playing an old dog over a hard road." A man who gave confidence to the team modo it 25 per cent, a better side. One or two of your men should come back real champions, and in any case New Zealand is to bo congratulated upon noving the pluck and ambition to send a team to England. Asked whether he thought a player of 18 tears of age was rather young to send Home, Mr Trumble was flvery bit in favour of youth with a sprinkling of older heads to keep them Btnady. He pointed out that C. Hill went away when he was 19, and T. Garrett, the roungcfit Test match player in Australia, was only 17 when he secured that honour. Discussing the wick'etkecper, Mr Trumble was not inclined to give so much consideration to age, but would consider the specialist. Ho would rather hove the first-class wicketkeeper who could not bat than a wicketkeeper not so good who could »cot« n few runs, since he might give away moro runs behind the wicket than he madcn.nt the crease.

BADCOCK'S INCLUSION. AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION PROTESTS. (T3EB3 ASSOCIATION TtLEOfiASI.) AUCKLAND, February 15. Tho selection of F. T. Badcock in the New Zealand cricket team to tour England this year was severely criticised at a meeting of the Management Commit-. tee of tho Auckland Cricket Association this evening. It was decided to write to the New Zealand Cricket Council protesting against Badcock's inclusion on the ground that he is not a New Zealander, but a professional coach in the employ of the Wellington Cricket Association, and as such should | not hare been considered eligible for selection in the New Zealand team. I It was pointed out that strong repre- [ sentations by prominent cithsens had been made to tho Auckland Associaj tion to endeavour to secure reconsideration of Badcock's position in the team. As dissatisfaction is general among cricket lovers in the Dominion, the Auckland Association urges the Council to reconsider tho matter without tlclav. Mr J. H. Wntts moved—"That the Auckland Association has no confidence in the New Zealand Council, and that steps be taken to have the headquarters moved from Christchurch to Wellington." He contended that the Council must have considered the question of Badcock prior to the publication of the team. On the suggestion of the chairman, Mr E. E. Nalder, Mr "Watts withdrew his motion in order to see whether a satisfactory reply were received regarding Badcock's position. "PRESS" V. "LYTTELTON TIMES." A match will be played on the Boyi' League fround, Hafley Park, on Thuriday afternoon between talma representing the slsffs of Tax Passs and tha "Lyttelton Times." The teams wilt ba aa follows: "lytteltoa Tlmee"--V. Burrowi, A. Cope. K. aSfbt, J. Mowbray. J. V?. Biehard;, B. WagSnTO. A. Bogsti, C. 8k«lton, A. Wood-wr.-d, and H. Soger*. . Tss Passs-J. C. Mollina (captain), LWebb. P. 0. K. Thomion, A. Adami, J. Mahoney, W. J. Budduck. N. Areher O. Walker. P. Femmell. F. Hood. 0. WiUon. IC. B. P. Hancock, H. Andeison, andß.E. AgataU. Flay will commence at 2 p*