ALLEN TO BE CAPTAIN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 253, 22 July 1936, Page 9

ALLEN TO BE CAPTAIN

M.C.C. Tour of. Australia SEVEN PLAYERS CHOSEN (Received July 21, 5.5 p.m.) Londo”, July 20. The M.C.C. announce that G. O. Allen (Middlesex) will be the captain of the team which is to go to Australia. R. W. V. Robins (Middlesex). W. R. Hammond (Gloucestershire), M. Leyland (Yorkshire), H. Verity (Yorkshire), Fishlock (Surrey) and J. HardStaff (Nottinghamshire) have also been invited. Captain R. Howard, secretary of th? Lancashire County Cricket Club, has been invited as manager, subject to the approval of the Lancashire committee. It is announced that no further invitations are being issued before July 29. Mr. Howard Marshal, in the “Daily Telegraph,” says: “Allen in 1936 has proved an excellent and inspiring leader. He is a most enthusiastic cricketer, a fine all-rounder and a determined fighter. The remainder virtually chose themselves. Fishlock, a remarkably dependable left-hander, will be a counter to the Australian spin bowlers.”

Allen is optimistic about prospects for the Australian tour and declared that when the full side was chosen he was confident it would do better than most people expect. He was extremely pleased to have been honoured with the captaincy. When asked if he had any qualms regarding the eight-ball over he replied, “None what’ever.”

NOTES ON PLAYERS All-rounders Preferred G. O. Allen, who is 34 on July 31, was born in Australia, but. has spent most of his life in England, playing for Eton, Cambridge and Middlesex. He is a fast howler who can be very effective for a few overs, a forcing right-hand batsman and a brilliant field close to the wicket. He was a member of D. R. Jardine’s last team in Australia and New Zealand and his fielding at forward short-leg was outstanding, especially to the_ leg trap of Harold Larwood. Against New Zealand in England in 1931 he demonstrated his all-round ability by making 122 at Lord’s and taking five wickets for 13 inns at tho Oval. A good mixer, he is likely to Lo the most popular overseas captain in Australia <?inee Percy Chapman. W. R. Hammond (Gloucester) is one of the best all-rounders in the game. He is a fine aggressive batsman, an able medium-paced bowler, especially useful in certain winds, and a brilliant field in the slips. Blessed with powerful forearms and shoulders, he is a master of almost every stroke, and on fast wickets he is a consistently heavy scorer when in form. Though he played in only 12 county matches in 1934, he scored 2020 runs at an average of 126.25, with seven centuries. In. county cricket he has topped 3000 runs in a season once, and 2500 five times. Against New Zealand for D. R. Jardine’s team in 1932-33 he made 336 not out at Auckland and 227 at Christchurch, and he scored 251 and 200 against Australia in 1928-29, as well as 119 not out and- 177 in the same series. He has scored seven centuries against Australia, including two double centuries, five of the three-figure scores being made in Australia. R. W. V. Robins (Highgate, Cambridge and Middlesex) is another good allrounder. He is a strong attacking batsman with a good range of strokes, he bowls both the googly and the leg-break well and can turn thp ball on most wickets, and he is a fine fieldsman in any position, particularly at cover. New Zealanders who met him in 1931 formed n high opinion of his bowling under English conditions, ns he took three for 58 for England against New Zealand, and four for 31 and two for 21 against New Zealand for the team chosen by Sir Julien Cahn.

Hedley Verity (Yorkshire) is the leading left-hand slow bowler in England, having a very easy delivery and great command of length, backed up with considerable epin. He hae the advantage of being able to howl equally well over or round the wicket. He was quite successful on the last tour of Australia and in 1934 took 15 wickets for 104 runs for England against Australia at Lord’s. He is also a steady batsman who can hold up an end and make rune when required and by no means a poor field in the gully or at mid-off. J. Hardstaff (Notts) is a right-hand batsman of the forcing type, with brilliant off strokes, and he is especially severe on slow bowling, displaying admirable footwork. He toured New Zealand and Australia last summer with the team led by E. R. T. Holmes and was an outstanding success on the hard wickets of Australia, where he capped a long list of big scores with a brilliant 230 not out against an Australian team in Sydney. In New Zealand, through an injured ankle which impeded his movement, he was not at his best with the bat, but he showed his brilliance in the field by outstanding work at cover and extra cover. He clinched his selection by making 69 on a difficult wicket last week for Players against Gentlemen. L. B. Fishlock (Surrey) is a left-hand batsman who generally goes in fourth or fifth. He is mainly a forward-playing batsman with plenty of power in his strokes. In 1934 he made 598 runs and in 1935, his first full season. 1204, with three centuries, being third in tbe averages for the county. He scored 26 not out and 22 not out for Players against Gentlemen last week. He is a fine fieldsman in the deep, being a fast runner and a good thrower. Fishlock and Hardstaff are of the yonnger school of professionals, of the new forcing batting type which began with Hammond. INDIA v. LANCASHIRE London, July 20. Scores in the cricket, match between All India and Derbyshire are:— India 228 (Copson five for 44) and 37 for none. Derbyshire 160 (Elliott 77; Banner Jee four for 51).