THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 156, 30 December 1898, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

The question who are to be the favoured four or five players yet to find a place in the Australian team is one of very great interest in New Zealand, as well as on the other side. " Mid-on," in the Leader, suggested that the following should constitute the team, if it was decided to take 14 players, as in 1896 : — J. Darling, A. E. Johns. S. E. Gregory, J. J. Kelly, H. Graham, T. R. M'Kibbin, C. Hill, C. M'Leod, W. Howell, M. A. Noble, F. A. Iredale, H. Trumbje, E. Jones, J. Worrall. (Of these, all but Graham, Howell, Iredale, Johns, and M'Kibbin have, as we were advised by cable yesterday, already been selected.) That combination will, " Mid-on " goes on to say, be difficult to improve upon, comprising, as it does, the two best wicketkeepers in Australia, the five best bowlers, with M'Leod and Worrall as useful changes, 10 first-class batsmen, and a splendid lot of fieldsmen. There are batsmen like Trumper, Donnan, and Mackenzie, who have also strong claims to consideration, and who are, perhaps, the most likely rivals of Graham and Worrall. Trumper especially holds high credentials, but Graham has so frequently shown that when in form he can master the crack bowlers of the world tinder conditions which beat nine batsmen out of ten, and is such a punisher on even the worst of wickets, that I cannot convince myself that the substitution for him of the undeniably brilliant and capable Sydney colt would be wise. Worrall (apart from his value as possible skipper) is such a splendid worker, and especially qualified physically and in every way for such a tour, and, as he showed against Stoddart's I earn "at Sydney, so capable of mastering the difficulties of a bad wicket at a pinch, that I cannot see how to improve the strength of the 14 by leaving* him out in favour of any of his most eligible rivals of the younger school. It will be three months before the Australians start for England, but with the known best^ form of the leading players before me, I think it is highly improbable that anything will occur to induce me to shunt one of the above on the strength of some possibly great performance by any player not included in this list. On the question of captainship, " Midon" declares that to follow Harry Trott will be no light responsibility, but as the appointment will not be made until near the time of departure, or possibly on the way to England, all that need now be said is that the choice seems likely to fall on WorraH or Darling, the former well qualified by experience, and the latter possessing the confidence of all the leading players who are likely to be associated with him.