Cricket N.S.W. TEAM CHANGES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28801, 23 January 1959, Page 7

Cricket N.S.W. TEAM CHANGES

Pitch Preparation Delayed By Rain

(K.Z. Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY, January 22. Rain has upaet the preparation of the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch for the start of the M.C.C. v. New South Wales match tomorrow. But it is still hoped that the match will start on time. The curator, Mr A. Watkin, has had only a week in which to prepare the wicket and was depending on fine weather today to “touch it up;” If the rain, which was still falling late today, ease? off the match is expected to start on time. Extra covers are spread over a wide area round the wicket and even if the outfield is heavy the centre should be firm. This should prevent a repetition of the second day of the third test when play was unable to start on time because an area fleer the wicket was too wet, although the wicket was hard and dry. Because of the limited preparation, tomorrow's wicket is expected to be the liveliest this season. Four changes have been made to the New South Wales team which drew with the M.C.C. in their first match. The rising young batsmen, N. Marks and G. Thomas, with W.' Watson and A. Wyatt, replace I. D. Craig, who captained New South Wales, S. Carroll, B. Booth, and K. Davidson,, who Is unfit. The New South Wales team is:— R. Benaud (captain). J. W. Burke, D. Ford, A. Wyatt, R. N. Harvey. N. Marks, N. O’Neill, P. Philpott, G. Thomas, G. Rorke, W. Watson, and B. Booth (twelfth man). The M.C.C. players arrived with three casualties today for their last' match in Sydney. They are the opening batsman, C. A. Milton, and the wicket-keeper, T. G. Evans, with fractured fingers, and the fast bowler, P. J. Loader, who has a strained groin. Loader strained his groin while bowling against Victoria in the match which M.C.C. won yesterday by nine wickets.