THIRD TEST AT MANCHESTER

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25859, 19 July 1949, Page 5

THIRD TEST AT MANCHESTER

12 ENGLISH PLAYERS NAMED F. R. BROWN TO BE CAPTAIN (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter— Copyright) , LONDON, July 17. F. R. Brown will captain the English cricket team to meet New Zealand in the third test match, starting at Manchester on July 23. The English team will be selected from the following:— F. R. Brown (Northamptonshire), caotain. W. J. Edrich (Middlesex). D. C. S. Compton (Middlesex). T. E. Bailey (Essex). R. C. Simpson (Nottinghamshire). L. Hutton (Yorkshire). B. Close (Yorkshire). C. Washbrook (Lancashire). T. G. Evans (Kent). W. E. Hollies (Warwickshire). J. C. Laker (Surrey). L. Jackson (Derbyshire). Actually this means six changes as compared with the team chosen for the second test. The new men are Washbrook, Simpson, Jackson, Laker, Close, and Brown. Washbrook was chosen for the second test, but could not play. He played in the first test and made 10 and 103 not out. In announcing that Brown would captain England the selectors added that F. G. Mann was very doubtful if he would be available to play cricket next summer. “Brown has been invited to captain England in the remaining two tests, and Mann has been co-opted to the selection committee for the remainder of the season.”

Brown, a leg-spin bowler and forcing batsman, formerly played for Surrey. Under his leadership Northamptonshire has forged ahead lately. He took five for 80 a few days ago playing for Gentlemen against PlayBrown toured Australia with the M.C.C. team of 1931-32, and played for England against New Zealand at Manchester in 1937, making 1 and 57 and taking three for 81 and one for 14. 18-year-old All-Rounder Close, an 18-year-old Yorkshire ailrounder, gave an impressive display of left-hand batting for Players against Gentlemen at Lord’s last week. He made his strokes with the assurance of a veteran and finished with 65.

Simpson batted steadily for the M.C.C. against New Zealand at Lord s in May and made 51 and 5 not out. Laker, a left-hand spin bowler, played for Surrey against New Zealand and took two for 62 and two for 71. He played in three of the five tests in 1948 against Australia, and look four for 138 in one and three for 113 in another.

Jackson, a Derbyshire pace bowler who has been making headway lately, moves the 'ball either way, with a low trajectory. He took four for 111 for his county against New Zealand. Players dropped, as compared with the second test team are:—J. D. Robertson (26 and 121), J. Young. A. Wharton, C. Gladwin, and A. Watkins. The cricket writer of the “Daily Mail” comments: “Brown’s selection as captain of the English team makes him the most likely captain of the M.C.C. team to go to Australia in 1950-51. That difficult task, and iho immediate one of beating New Zealand, could not be in better amateur hands. Those who criticise Brown's selection on the ground' of age— Brown is 38—do not know the man. He is as fit and as active as any cricketer in first-class play. “If the 18-year-old Brian Close, who bowls right-arm off-spinners and swingers with the new ball and bats left-handed, appears in the test, he will be the youngest player to play for England. Denis Compton was 19 when he made his test debut."