CHANGE WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 18 December 1928, Page 10

CHANGE WANTED

AUSTRALIAN CRICKET

SYSTEM OF SELECTION

FINDING TEST TALENT

The cricketers representing Australia in the present series of Tests with England are being chosen by a committee of four selectors. So far their work has met with anything but gratifying results, although the selectors are not to be wholly blamed for the poor showing of the Australians in Test play to date this season. Still, there' is apparently a strong opinion in Australian cricket circles that the present method of selection is open to considerable improvement, and a move has already been made to repeal the present rule. With four men selecting the teams there is the possibility of a deadlock occurring. Whether anything of this nature happened after the first Test at Brisbane is not known, but.it is reported that soon after that Test. ended the selectors met to consider the team for-the second Test, and they sat- until the next morning without any Quality being reached. Then, wheu the second Test team was finally, chosen, the selectors omitted young Bradman from the eleven. For this action they have come in for much adverse criticism. Bradman, making his first appearance in Test cricket, should not have been ruled out for failure under adverse circumstances at Brisbane. Prior to that first Test he had scored a century in each innings for New South Wales at Brisbane, aud on top of that he had made a century against the Englishmen on his home ground, where the second Test is being played. That, how-' ever, is by the way. TRUMBLE'S IDEA. Before the Australian selectors made their first ' choice suggestions were offered which were considered to be an aid.to them iv a. very difficult task. One came from Mr. J. W. Trumble, the former international player, to ' the effect that the Board of Control should co-opt two or three Test match experts, preferably bowling experts, lo assist the selection committee. Evidently Mr. E. E. Bean, a member of the selection committee, was not pleased with this. It is stated that he would not reply to the suggestion, but that before leaving Melbourne for Sydney to meet the other selectors lie made the following statement: "Mr. Trumble has been out of the game for forty years. He took all the plums in the game, but, like many other wealthy ex-players, ho never rendered any assistance when the association and the clubs were penniless and had to-battle to keep the game going. We have had our ups and downs, but we have always kept the flag flying without Mr, Trumble 's assistance, and will continue lo do so." ' ■ ' QUALIFIED SELECTORS. Support to Mr. Trumble's suggestion was given by Mr. J. M. , Black ham, known as "The Prince of Wicketkeepers," who played in thirty-five Test matches and made eight trips to England with Australian teams. "I am heartily in accord with tho suggestion," he said. "In the old days some of the greatest teams were selected by players. It was.the custom to choose tho certainties first, in the case of teams going to England—perhaps five or seven. These men. were then entitled to offer an opinion as to who the other, players should be. The system of having four selectors is farcical. There should be either three or five, preferably three. I would even have a solo selector, if the right man could be secured. "The three on this occasion should be Armstrong, Oldfield, and Bardsley. Armstrong has a great knowledge of the game, aud has. a wide experience of cricket .on both sides of : the world. A selector certainly ought to have experience of .the game in England. Bardsley is eminently qualified for the position. He has the knowledge, experience, and right temperament.'' One of the selectors, should be .a wicketkeeper. No one else on the field is'in such a good position to judge the strength and weaknesses of opposing batsmen "net to decide - what a bowler is doing. Oldfield seems just the man for the job,.for he. has kept wickets when most of the candidates for the team were batting, and .I take him to be observant arid able to forni a sound opinion. Selectors ought to be men who have bad Test match experience. Preferably they should be those who are still playing, or have recently dropped out. The three 'I have named have every qualification." SOUTH AUSTRALIA ACTS. With regard to the appointment of four selectors this season, the South Australian Association's delegates, on their return from the Board of Control meeting in September, were subjected to close questioning. The explanation that no provision had been made for deadlocks and that the board would not choose the captain, led to the following motion being passed by the South Australian Cricket Association: "That a letter be sent to tho various State associations" expressing the opinion of this association that the policy of appointing four selectors for Test teair.B is unworkable, in view of the possibility of, a deadlock, and ask-

ing if such associations are favourable to an approved alteration, of the constitution of the board being made to provide for any deadlock ■ which may arise, duo to the appointment of an even number of selectors.", At a subsequent'meeting of the South Australian Association the question was again discussed, and the',folio wing motion was passed: "That this association is of the opinion that the present method of selection of captains of the Australian Eleven is unsatisfactory, and that our delegates be asked to give notice of motion to the Board of Control that the rules be altered to provide for the captain being appointed by the board, and ho to then become one of the selection committee." The next meeting of the . JBoard of Control is to bo held iv Melbourne on the 29th December, aud as the rules require that one month's notice of motion must be given, it is unlikely that the South Australian motion will be dealt with at that meeting. Eveu if the rules were altered then, it • would be necessary to have the amendments sanctioned by the State, associations represented on the board.. The present method, it would seem, will remain in force for this season, but there is every .prospect of a. change being made before another season is entered upou.