Experienced New Zealand Side Selected For Test

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27875, 25 January 1956, Page 14

Experienced New Zealand Side Selected For Test

R.T.B.]

(By

CRICKET

Eight members of the New Zealand cricket team which toured Pakistan anc. India are incZuded in the team to play agamst the West Indies in the first te t at Dunedin cn Februarv 3 The three members of the team drawn from the Plunket Shield teams are J. E. F. Beck (Wellington). M. E. Chaople (Canterbury), and R. W. Blair (Central Districts). They have all had previous test experience. The team, which was announced last evening by the secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council (Mr E. E. Luttrell) is: J. E. F. Beck (Wellington). R. W. E:air (Central Districts). H. B. Cave (Central Districts) captain. M. E, Chapple (Canterbury). J. W. Guy (Central Districts). J. G. Leggat (Canteroury). S. N. McGregor (Otago). T. G. McManon (Wellington). A. McK. Moir (Otago). J. R. Reid (Wellington). B. Sutcliffe (-Otago). J. C. Alanaster . (Otago), twelfth man. Whatever the deficiencies of the New Zealand team, inexperience is not

among them. This is perhaps the most tried and tested team New Zealand has put in the field; all of the players have taken part in at least three test matches, with Sutcliffe, making his twenty-seventh consecutive test appearance, heading the list. It is as well, perhaps, that the New Zealand cricket public retains its Micawberish attitude to its test teams, which have still to register a win after playing 41 test matches. Again, the spirit of guarded optimism which precedes nearly every New Zealand test series is abroad, and it is welcome, for the performance of the New Zealand team in India suggested that the results of the matches with the West Indies are anything but a foregone conclusion. The absence of A. R. Mac Gibbon may be felt. It seems certain that he has been omitted only to afford him a rest after the feats of endurance the Pakistan-India tour demanded of him. Last year when New Zealand played England at Dunedin, Cave, Reid and Mac Gibbon kept a wonderfully tight grip on the batsmen with their sustained accuracy. This time Blair will have to be at his best to fill Mac Gibbon’s ample boots satisfactorily; New Zealand will have only three instead of four pace bowlers, and if one should fail, he would place demands on the spin bowling which Moir and Chapple might not be able to meet. Certain Choices It was clear enough that Sutcliffe, Leggat, Guy, Reid, Cave and McMahon would go into the first test team, and that Blair was almost a certain choice, particularly as Hayes is unfit. Mac Gibbon would have been a certainty had he not had to qxpend such energy on tour, and that would have left places for a spin bowler and two more batsmen. The most likely batting candidates were S. N. McGregor, L. S. M. Miller, D. D. Taylor and ■R. T. Barber. The omission of Mac Gibbon made the inclusion of Chapple more likely, for his left-hand i bowling has brought him sufficient success this season to commend him as a lieutenant to Moir, as well as filling the batting gap left by Mac Gibbon. The selection of McGregor ahead of Miller, Taylor, and Barber may not please some enthusiasts, for these three have all batted exceptionally well in Plunket Shield matches this summer, while McrGegor’s test successes overseas were limited to his 111 and 43 in the second test against Pakistan, and his 49 in the third test against India, but runs in test cricket overseas haye obviously been regarded as being of better value by far than shield runs in New Zealand.

Miller hardly failed in the shie] series, but his record in tests w< a high hurdle for him to clear. Apa: from a 44—made when the precedin five batsmen had all scored at lea;

20— -Miller has failed in tests, in which he has had 11 innings for 121 runs, and has usually seemed quite out of his depth. He may yet have a chance to redeem himself in international cricket, and New Zealand could certainly do with a batsman able to score in tests as well as Miller has done in the shield games—or even half as well.

The inclusion of Beck, however, will be warmly welcomed everywhere. His batting is of a type which gives no guarantee of success, but it has about it the boldness which will help balance the more substantial qualities Oi Leggat and Guy, a balance very necessary in a four-day game. Beck will almost certainly be outstanding m a good fielding team. Taylor, like Miller, is almost 33. and he too lacks dash in the field, but there were many who felt his positive and attacking batting might take him baC u - into the test team. Barber, a much improved player in recent years, place/ 38 511:0118 claims to McGregor's

Selection of Moir The selection of Moir is somewhat startling. He was an almost complete failure overseas and at 36 he may find it hard to recapture his best form. Moir, at his best, bowls his leg breaks faster than the average spin bowler, and it may have been that which caused his eclipse in India, where only such as Gupte could really turn the ball; lesser lights had to depend on flight which Moir usually lacks. The selectors obviously feel that the very cause of Moir’s failure in India may be the means of his success on the more responsive New Zealand pitches. ’ In form, Moir would be a very real asset. The other spin bowling candidates i included J. Turnbull, A. Lissette, and i I. Sinclair. The off-spinners, Turnbull and Sinclair, both did well, but they I may both require a little more experij ence before being brought into international cricket. Lissette would probably have better prospects, but Chapple's inclusion probably kept him out. Chapple earned a place as a batsman with his consistent and convincing performances, and although there is some mystery about his bowling successes this season, he will lengthen the batting list verv usefullv and improve the slip fielding prospects. It is early yet to attempt any assessment of the West Indies team, although it is quite obvious that the visiting team includes a host of players of talent. How they will adapt themselves to New Zealand conditions is really the key to the situation, but New Zealand can go into the first match confident of making a good showing. Bowlers’ Task Those New Zealanders in the team who toured Pakistan and India may be a little jaded, but Reid and Cave, who will have to do a lot of bowling, may find the incentive of a more responsive pitch sufficient to overcome their fatigue. It is a pity that MacGibbon and Hayes cannot have the same opportunity. They, slaved with such heart and industry on lethargic Indian pitches to produce unflattering figures that in spite of illness and fatigue they must yearn for a chance to show what they can do in more helpful conditions. Cave, who bowled magnificently on tour,- Blair, who has bowled this season with more sustained pace and j hostility, and Reid give New Zealand I a good pace attack, but the bowling could have been improved, possibly, had the selectors decided to admit a

lack of quality spinners and pin their faith almost completely on pace. With Mac Gibbon being rested, D. D. Beard, although 36, might have been useful, giving even further length to the batting. Reports of Plunket Shield matches suggest his bowling has been rather more positive than in previous seasons. Once more, then, New Zealand appears to have some chance of opening its test account, although the West Indies batting potential and the spin bowling will require the home team to play above itself a little. New Zealand has a long list of capable batsmen, and if the fielding can give the bowling a little extra edge, it could become very much a contest