ALLEN'S M.C.C. TEAM WORKED WONDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 23

ALLEN'S M.C.C. TEAM WORKED WONDERS

SPECIAL MATCH WITH N.Z. THIS MONTH

The result of the series of Tests just concluded in Australia was that England failed to regain the. "Ashes." That was expected long before a ball was bowled in the Tests, but it was not thought that England 'would run Australia so dose as to leave the issue in the balance until the fifth Test. 'England's team.set out on the big campaign with but a poor backing of confidence. The captain, G. 0. Allen, struck a right note, however, when lie said that the players were as he would have chosen them, or words to that effect. Allen can be said to have worked wonders with a team which was expected to receive hidings all along the route. It was a great tribute to his captaincy that he forced Australia into the position of having to win the last three Tests. And now New Zealand will be pleased to see Allen and his men, if only for a brief period.

It so happens that the visit of the .M.C.C. team to Wellington for the second match of the New Zealand section of the tour takes place at the time of the assembly of the New Zealand team to go, to England. The idea of bringing both touring sides together, in a special match, in place of the M.C.C.Wellington match, made a very strong appeal, and, having been adopted, Wellington will be staging an event \unique in the history of the. game. here. It will be good. to see the' M.C.C..,Test team, and good, too, to- see the New Zealand team in action before it embarks upon its big campaign. The M.C.C. team comes with a record much better than was. expected when it was sent forward from England. Undoubtedly. G. O. Allen's in-, fluence. had much to do with the team becoming a playing good enough to outplay Australia in'two of the five Tests. And looking back over the Test series ..there would appear to be only one really marked difference between the sides, Australia being in the exceedingly fortunate position of having Don. Bradman. But for Bradman Australia would probably have been in a bad way. . '■'.■.<: . ■'.■■'• The strain of the Tests,will;be overwhen Allen-.- leads his men on.' to; New Zealand fields, and it is to be expected that some delightful cricket will . be offering in the match to be played at the Basin Reserve on March' 24, 25, and: '27.- . " .■,-,. '■; . .■./,:'• ■ ' ■■- • ::■■■: -