Australian Cricket Tour Of N.Z.

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28180, 19 January 1957, Page 5

Australian Cricket Tour Of N.Z.

TT is fully expected in Australia that there may be a few unernected selections in the Australian cricket team to tour New Zealand, which will be announced on January 22. The Australian selectors are well aware that the big weakness is in the bowling, although batting, too, is not as strong as the selectors could desire. Bowlers At present bowlers worthy of test selection against any team are Ray Lindwall, Alan) Davidson, and Jim Burke. Lindwall and Davidson are fast bowlers and Burke a better-than-aver-age slow spinner. But their inclusion would hardly be giving the Australian team the “freshness” the selectors claim they are seeking. Promising bowlers like I? Meckiff, Alan Wyatt, and John Drennan are considered by sports writers to have the best chances of selection. Slow bowlers and spinners like Peter Philpott, Jack Treanor, and Norman O'Neill are also in the running. Australia should display good batting against New Zealand. Lindwall, O’Neill, Burke, Mackay. Benaud, Carroll, Harvey, Favell, and Davidson form a batting strength which New Zealand will find hard to match. In spite of the lack of good bowlers, Meckiff could cause New Zealand batsmen some trouble. Meckiff is only 22, and a virtual newcomer to big cricket Last aeaion he was a failure with hie

club. South Melbourne (captained by test captain, lan Johnson) and was dropped in the fourth round of grade cricket. Before the current season started, Meckiff, previously a fastmedium bowler, was advised by Victorian Sheffield Shield player Jeff Hallebone. to become a fast bowler, and he trained hard for months before the season opened. Meckiff at once showed speed which amazed his former batting opponents—and displayed a tendency towards bumpers which made him an overnight drawcard in Victoria. He was selected for the Victorian state practice squad and made his entry into Sheffield Shield cricket Impressive In the match against New South Wales, Meckiff scored a dashing 55 to help his team out of trouble and followed this up by taking three for 65 and four for 56. The State selectors were impressed and placed him in one of the sides for the recent Bill O’ReillyStan McCabe testimonial match In the first two days Meckiff took six for 75 with hostile bowling and scored a fast 47 against test strength bowling. The Australian team for New Zealand will be selected in Sydney on January 22—at the end of the New South Wales v. South Australia match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This game will be watched by the three Australian . selectors, Sir Donald Bradman (South Australia), Jack Ryder (Victoria) and Dudley Seddon (N.S.W.).