Full Aust. Test Team Available For N.Z. Tour

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 24

Full Aust. Test Team Available For N.Z. Tour

(N Z. Press Association —Copyright f

SYDNEY.

The Australian cricket tour to New Zealand this summer is a most important one, Mr F. Bryant, the newly-appointed tour manager, said yesterday.

“Many of Australia's greatest champions started their climb through a trip to New Zealand. “We should be able to assemble a most powerful side this time for New Zealand. “I have not thought too deeply about selections, but there must be a full team of former test players available —men like O’Neill, Booth, Burge. Connolly, Sincock, Favell and others.

“Then we have some most promising younger players so there should be no fears about the calibre of the touring party." Australia’s first team will be touring South Africa at the same time. Mr Bryant, appointed by the Australian Board of Control to take his first touring team abroad, has a splendid background as both player and coach.

He first played for Western Australia as a 17-year-old schoolboy. He batted against the 1928 and 1936 M.C.C. teams and made half-cen-turies, and his inter-state record includes two centuries against Victoria. He played with such exalted players as C. Macartney and J. Ryder for F. Terrant's team on an Australian-wide tour.

Mr Bryant, aged 56, was for 12 years a Western Australian selector, is currently vice-president and chairman of the executive of the W.A. Cricket Association.