England Bowler To Miss First Test

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 12

England Bowler To Miss First Test

AUCKLAND, February 22. The England fast bowler, F. S. Trueman, will hot play in the first cricket test against New Zealand, which starts at Eden Park, Auckland, tomorrow. The decision was taken today rather than risk aggravating the injury to Trueman’s left thigh which forced him to leave the field on the final day of the drawn fifth test against Australia.

Trueman will have treatment for the injury and may have a fitness test on Wednesday or Thursday to see whether he will be fit for the second test, which will start at Wellington next Friday.

The English selection committee also omitted A. Smith, the reserve wicketkeeper, from the remaining 12 players. The intention is that Smith will play in the second

test. The New Zealand twelfth man will not be named until tomorrow morning. Although England will now be without the famous fast bowling partnership of Trueman and J. B. Statham, who has already returned home, it will still have a strong attack.

J. D. F. Larter, the 6ft 7in fast bowler, .will play in his first test of the tour, and his opening partner seems likely to be L. J. Coldwell, the medium-fast bowler.

As support for these two England has E. R. Dexter and B. R. Knight, both are able to bowl medium-fast if necessary, the off spinners, F. J. Tiitmus and R. Illingworth, and a leg spinner, K. F. Barrington. With G. Pullar not able to tour, the England batting list seems shorter than usual. M. C. Cowdrey, D. S. Sheppard. Dexter and Barrington will probably occupy the top four places, followed by P. H. Parfitt.

Titmus and Illingworth are all-rounders and Murray is a

(New Zealand Press Association)

New Zealand could, with R. C. Motz, F. J. Cameron and Reid himself, produce a difficult new ball attack should the pitch be lively. England will start favourite and it would take a stupendous effort by New Zealand to upset that favouritism But it would be typical of the growing confidence and spirit of the New Zealanders should Reid win the toss and put England in.

useful batsman. Thus the England batting list may be longer than it appears. The intriguing questions to be answered are whether the New Zealanders can maintain the success and confidence gained 12 months ago in Soqth Africa against what must be regarded as a much more formidable foe, and what use the captains will make of the toss today. The pitch is well-grassed and unless there is more rain it could become faster on the second and third days than on the first. The English players have not seen such a green pitch since they left home It may well be that Dexter, should he win the toss, will invite New Zealand to bat first.