WELLINGTON'S TEAM

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 141, 14 December 1931, Page 11

WELLINGTON'S TEAM

SELECTION ANNOUNCED

(By "Not Out.") The selection of the Wellington cricket team to meet Auckland in the Plunkct Shield match to bo played at the Basin Reserve, commencing on Christmas Day, was announced to-day by the selectors, Messrs. "W. A. Aldersley, L. T. Oobcroft, and K. C. James. The choice was confined to the players included in the provisional selection, which means that several of the players who represented Wellington last season have been dropped. Three newcomers to Plunkot Shield cricket aro included in the team, Which is as follows : — C. 8. Dempster (Old Boys). W. Hepburn (Kilbirnie). W. Dustin (Midland). T. C. Lowry (Eangitikoi). K. C. James (Old Boys). 11. M. M'Girr (Hutt). H. N. Lambert (Old Boys). H. B. Massey (Wairarapa). M. Henderson (Institute). J. Newman (Nelson). B. Griffiths (Kilbirnie). J. Lamason (Old Boys), twelfth man. The selected players, with the exception of those unable to come from tho country districts, must attend practice at the Basin. Beservo to-morrow evening, as well as on AVcdnosday and Thursday evenings, and other players also required to attend are: B. Morgan (Wellington), S. Ward (Kilbirnie), and A. W. Duncan (Old Boys). K. 0. James and C. S. Dempster (official coach) will bo in charge of the practices, which will bo continued next week. E. G. M'Leod (Hutt) was not available, and A. M. Hollings intimated that he would be unable to play, if required, in tho second match—with Canterbury. It would be no exaggeration to say that there are over twenty players in Wellington worthy of Plunket Shield status, and any eleven carefully selected from that list of candidates must' bo regarded as a good one. However, the team selected to play against Auckland, good as it is, bears the appearance of being open to some improvement aa a sound and solid all-round combination. There may come a time in the Plunket Shield series when a solid left-handed batsman might be regarded as a distinct asset, but no provision has been made for a player of this type. Again, if any player has played himself into the side on this season's performance it is Holling's, but he- has been omitted. Ho looked to bo a certainty, and his presence near the top of the batting order would have given some added confidence in the ability of the team to settle down to solid scoring. The omission of Hollings also means that a good slip fieldsman is being lost, and it is in the slips that the team requires the best possible service, especially as the fast left-hander, Henderson, is included. The effectiveness of Henderson's bowling has often been lost through Lick- of support in. the. slips, and it is to be hoped that now that this player has been brought back to Shield cricket chances will not bo allowed to go begging. Other bowlers, too, will require the best of help from the slips. So far as the bowling is concerned, provision has been made for a fair amount of variety, but it is questionable whether tho selectors have done the right thing in dropping, two bowlers who between them took twenty-three of the wickets for Wellington in last season's Plunket Shield matches. True, their figures to dato should have been better, but it is possible that they are just about to striko their best form. At any rate, on Saturday one of these two bowlers, Crook, took four of Hutt's six wickets for 31 runs, and the other, Blundell, in his first few overs against Dempster had two chances missed. The three players being given their first chance in Plunket Shield matches aro Dustin, Hepburn, anil Griffiths.! All three have been doing well in club cricket, and Dustin and Hepburn have at times shown up conspicuously in representative matches; in fact, on one occasion, in a local representative match, Dustin made a double-century. Griffiths and Hepburn were prominent ■.junior representatives' before coming into senior cricket. There can be no complaint against the selectors about not.giving prominent young players a chance, and it will be interesting to see how this trio fares in tho higher grade of representative cricket. The playera who represented Wellington in last season's Plunket Shield matches, and who are dropped on this occasion, are D. Cameron, J. Lamason (now twelfth man), R. Crook, 'E. D. Blundell, E. G. M'Leod (riot available), A. Newman, N. Gallichan, and L.. V. Browne. Of those included in the recent preliminary selection the following have been passed over: A. Biggar, A. W. Duncan, A, M. Hollings, B. A. Whyte, S. Ward, and A. Beck. It is worthy of note that R. Morgan, who was not previously included* in this season's selections, is added to the list of players to attend special practice, and a very promising bat is Morgan. Another point of interest about the selection is that there has been quite a marked change in the opinions held by the selectors about a number of the players since the team to represent Town against Country was choson. It was understood 'that in choosing the Town eleven the selectors decided on what they regarded as the strongest side available.. In that side, as originally selected, were Crook, Lamason, Duncan, Blundell, Ward, Biggar, Foley, and Christophersen (twelfth man), not one of whom, is now included in the eleven to meet Auckland. Of course since then there have been some further opportunities- of studying form. The team undoubtedly is a good one, and it would be just as good, if not better, with alterations on the lines indicated. As it is, the side can be expected to give- a good account of itself against Auckland.