FOR FIRST TEST

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 217, 11 June 1935, Page 9

FOR FIRST TEST

English Team to Meet South Africans WYATT TO LEAD SIDE By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, June 9. England’s team for. the first Test match against the touring South African cricketers, which is to commence at Nottingham on Saturday next, will be selected from the following:— R. E. S. Wyatt (Warwickshire), captflß.' W. V. Robins (Middlesex). I."A. R. Peebles (Middlesex), N S Mitchell-Innes (Oxford). H Sutcliffe (Yorkshire). M. Leyland (Yorkshire). H, Verity (Yorkshire). W. E. Bowes (Yorkshire). W. R. Hammond (Gloucestershire). L. E. G. Ames (Kent). M. S. Nichols (Essex). D. Smith (Derbyshire). The selectors of the English team are Messrs. P. F. Warner (chairman), P. A. Perrin and T. A. Higson. LITTLE NEW BLOOD Faith in Tried Players ( By BußWpon.) After English teams had been decisively beaten by Australia and the West Indies, it would have been thought that the English selectors would have infused a little more new blood into the team to meet South Africa in the first Test match on Saturday. . . That the selectors have pinned their faith to tried players is clear from the fact that Wyatt, Sutcliffe, Leyland, Verity, Bowes, Hammond and Ames were all members of the All-England team which was so decisively beaten by the Australians in the Tests in England in 1934. It is pleasing to see that M. S. Nichols, the able Essex all-rounder, who was twelfth man so often in 1934. has been included in the 12 selected. Nichols is a fighter with both bat and ball, and is just the stamp of player required to rehabilitate England’s prestige on the cricket The inclusion of Peebles and Robins, the two Middlesex googly bowlers, does not inspire much confidence. Last season Robins scored 322 runs for Middlesex in the county championship,, and took 24 wickets for 058 rune, while Peebles captured 45 wickets for 994 runs at an average of 22.08. ... >, r> It is difficult to understand why D. Smith, Derbyshire, has been included, as last season the best he could do was BuJ runs in 46 innings at an average or 20 45. N. S. Mitchell-Innes is playing his first season with Oxford University, and did well against the South Africans, but one would prefer to see a batsman like C. F. Walters, who came eleventh, m the firstaverages last season, with 50.08 per innings, and did so well against the Australians, given a place. One would have thought that the English selectors would have used the South African Tests this season as a means of building up 7 a solid team for Australia next season. The dozen selected for the first Test against the South Africans on Saturday does not look like a side which would win back "The Ashes” on Australian playing fields. MERRITT IN LANCASHIRE (Received. June 11, 12.35 a.m.) London, June 10. In Lancashire League cricket the former New Zealander, W. E. Merritt, made 43 runs and took six wickets for 30. ,