ENGLAND TEST SELECTOR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 11

ENGLAND TEST SELECTOR

CYRIL WASHBROOK APPOINTED HUTTON NOT AVAILABLE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, March 6. Cyril Washbrook, Lancashire's professional captain and former England opening batsman, was today appointed one of four cricket selectors for this year’s test series against Australia. He replaces Brian Sellars, of Yorkshire. The remaining three are unchanged—G. O. Allen (Middlesex), chairman, L. E. G. Ames (Kent), and W. Woolier (Glamorgan). Washbrook, who is 41, played 34 times for England, and knows the Australians well. He toured Australia in 1946 and again in 1951, appearing in all five tests on each trip. He also played four times against Sir Donald Bradman's all-conquer-ing team which visited England in 1948. Len Hutton had been expected to be elected to the selection committee. He said tonight: “I informed Mr Allen a few days ago that I would not be available because of business and other commitments.” Hutton announced his retirement from first-class cricket in January because of health reasons. The advisory committee of the Board of Control considered several other matters. Northamptonshire succeeded in its application for evening county championship cricket. The board agreed that, as an experiment, play may continue until 8.15 p.m. on the second day only. It is understood that Northamptonshire proposed to begin at 1.30 p.m., providing its opponents agree. The question of the best way to deal with bowlers' drag is still under discussion. So far the M.C.C. and Australia have not reached a uniform interpretation, and the M.C.C. has written again to the Australian authorities putting forward suggestions. On the scoring of leg-byes, the committee decided: “The umpire shall regard the deliberate deflection of the ball by any part of the stroker's person, except the hand holding the bat, as unfair, and as soon as he is satisfied that the fielding side has no chance of dismissing either batsman as an immediate result of such action, he shall, without delay, call dead ball. "In deciding whether such deflection Is deliberate, the criterion shall be whether or not the batsman has attempted to play the ball with his bat."