CRICKET TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 11, 13 July 1931, Page 10

CRICKET TOUR

IMPORTANT MATCHES

COUNTY PLAYERS DROPPED

WHAT IS THE REASON ?

(By "Not Out.") Tho series of engagements for tho Now Zealand cricket team from tho 4th July to the 14th July was regarded as making up one of the most important periods of the tour, as three of the strongest counties were being met in a ~o w —first Notts, then Yorkshire, and Lancashire, Those engagements assumed a greater importance in view of tho fact that New Zealand is to play two more Tests with England. Notts, Yorkshire, and Lancashire, it was expected, would give New Zealand valuable experience for the Tests to come, as those counties possessed some of the finest talent in England, and' between them they could provide a. real Test side. The opportunity of playing against tho best of the players in those three counties would no doubt have been greatly appreciated by the New Zealand team, but unfortunately it has been denied the tourists. Larwood did not play for Notts, Suteliffe, and Bowes were notable absentees from Yorkshire's eleven, and now Lancashire is without three of its very best players, Watson, E. Tyldesley, and M'Donald. There was quite a good excuse in the ease of Larwood's omission from the Notts' team against New Zealand, but it seems that the services of the others might well have been used to place Yorkshire and Lancashire at full strength in meeting the touring side.' All six players mentioned are regardod by their respective) counties as match-winning players, and their absence has greatly reduced the strength of the sides. This is unfortunate not only in the fact that New Zealand desires to be up against the best, but also because of the importance of these particular engagements in improving the financial outlook of the tour. Would Yorkshire's performance claim full attention in the absence of Suteliffc and Bowes? And is Lancashire anything like a champion side without Watson, Dick Tyldesley, and the ex-Australian, M'Donald? Far from it. FINE BATTING EFFORT. New Zealand's score on Saturday furnishes excellent evidence of the effect of leaving both E. Tyldesley and E. A. M'Donald out of the side. The registration of a score of<over 400 runs in an innings against Lancashire is a rare occurrence, and, in spite of the absence of the two leading bowlers, New Zealand has do;ic splendidly—a performance in keeping with the touring team's reputation as a strong batting side. In Hopwooa, Sibbles, Hodgson, and Iddon, Lancashire has quite a strong quartet to support M'Donald and Tyldesley, and in view of the fact that big things are being expected of. Hopwood the New: Zealand players havo done particularly well in taking heavy toll of this player's bowling. Hodgson, who gained most success on Saturday, bowls with plenty of energy, and commands a fair amount of pace. It has been said of Sibbles that he seems to be content with mechanically keeping a length, for he betrays neither subtlety nor variety. ■ Iddon does not pitch the ball accurately enough for a left-hand-er. LANCASHIRE'S ABSENTEES. An interesting note in the:'' Cricketer" about two of the absentees from the present match is as follows:—"If M'Donald has no longer the pace of half-a-dozen seasons back, he still displays a perfect delivery, and can send down many a dangerous ball. His recent off-break variation was justified by its success, aivd he furnished a remarkable contrast to tho intriguing legbreaks of E. Tyldesley, whoso own bland humour blends with that of spectators as tho baffled batsmen retire. The ferocity of Mac is tempored by the intrigues of Dick, but between them they accounted for two hundred and forty victims, so their joint share in the result last season is fairly tangible." Of Watson (also missing from this match) the same paper said:—"Thcro he is and there ho remains, a dour, drab, dangerous, dully-devilish exponent of the whole philosophy of batting —and philosophy is not an exhilarating science." ■ The chance is being taken by Lancashire in this match to try out Horrocks, tho West Australian, who recently accepted an offer to qualify for the county. Horroeks has been one of the outstanding players in West Australia, and his claims as a Test match player for Australia have been advanced freely. A GOOD EXAMPLE. The following item just to hand from England gives another line on the New Zealand team's activities:—"lt seems strange that it should bo left to the New Zealanders to set us an exarnplo in the matter of not wasting any time during a cricket match; One does not remember the characteristic on the part of T. C. Lowry when h,e was captain of Cambridge University, but when the tourists played at Fennors last week he insisted on an 11.30 a.m. start on the first* day—as the result of which three players were late and one lost his place altogether—and all the intervals were cut down by five or ten minutes. In every installed the incoming batsman passed the outgoing batsman on the steps outside tho pavilion, as always used to be done in the days of our youth. This is definitely one of the ways of brightening up the game of cricket ( and, if they go right through the English season on these lines, Tom Lowry and his side will earn the gratitude of all cricket-lovers."