CRICKET M.C.C. TOURS OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27576, 5 February 1955, Page 8

CRICKET M.C.C. TOURS OF NEW ZEALAND

PROPOSAL FOR TEAMS OF YOUNG PLAYERS (New Zealana Press Association) AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. The M.C.C., in addition to its normal tours of Australia and New Zealand, may send “A” teams—composed of young players—to New Zealand, Mr R. Aird, secretary of the M.C.C., said in Auckland today. Such tours, he added, would be good training for Britain's younger players and an excellent chance for the Dominion to find young talent. One advantage of "A” team tours would be that they could undertake larger itineraries than the international sides, Mr Aird said. There would be no official tests, but there was .nothing to prevent unofficial ones. The whole plan was still in its early stages and would have to be gone into fully. Mr Aird is touring the Dominion at the invitation of the New Zealand Cricket Council, having first visited Australia. He was in the Commonwealth for the second and third tests. “I think the team we sent to Australia was the best we could produce,” Mr Aird said. “There were two gambles in the team—Colin Cowdrey and Frank Tyson, and both paid off handsomely.” Mr Aird thinks the Dominion's players, particularly the top-flight ones, need more “big” cricket to bring out the best in them.

AUSTRALIAN SIDE FOR TOUR

Criticism In London Newspapers (N.Z Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3. Australian cricket needed reorganisation m administration and on the field, Alex Bannister wrote in the “Daily Mail” today commenting on the Australian team chosen to tour the West Indies. He said: “Many of Australia’s leading players have little or no confidence in their State and national administrations. It is not difficult to discover the reason. “Some of these officials have never handled a bat in their lives; are midVictorian in ideas and outlook; and have nothing in common with modern trends. This, and petty inter-State jealousies, have far-reaching and disastrous effects.” he said. Bannister said that Australia lacked leadership in the field, although this was no reflection on Johnson, who had done his best. "I am not alone in thinking that a short-cut to recovery lies in giving the genius of Sir Donald Bradman full rein.” But Frank Rostron in the “Daily Express” said Bradman, the patron saint of Australian cricket, was being kicked in the dust. “The cricketing Knight has been dragged off his white charger.” He wrote under the headline, “Aussies Make Sir Don the Test Scapegoat.” Rostron said Australian cricket followers, “moaning” about the West Indies choice, ignored the fact that Bradman was only one of three selectors. Not since “bodyline” days had Australian cricket taken such a crack between the eyes as Hutton and his shock bombardiers delivered. The only difference was that this time there was no indignation or even argument. The public was showing dull anger that the authorities still seemed unaware of the serious decline and that the selectors picked “the same old defeated gang.