WELL RECEIVED

Evening Star, Issue 21641, 9 February 1934, Page 9

WELL RECEIVED

AUSTRALIA'S SIXTEEN CRICKETERS FOR ENGLAND COMMENTS OH SELECTION Some, of the comments that have appealed in Australian papers regarding the cricket team selected to tour England this year are given below. Generally speaking the selection appears to have been well received, and the inclusion of Chipperiicld, for instance, was the subject of several favourable comments. Dr E. P. Barbour, the well-known writer in ‘ The Sydney Morning Herald,’ states; ‘‘The selectors have chosen a splendid side and have done the utmost possible to provide a wellbalanced combination. There are six batting specialists, five stock bowlers, two wicketkeepers, two all-rounders, and one potential all-rounder. Whether it will be possible to select from the sixteen a test eleven that will regain the balance that it lias lost in recent years, only time will prove. The selectors have at least provided the material from which to rebuild the side; the rest depends upon the players. “ The batting must, in any case, be strong. The bowling should be better than that of the 1930 team. In fielding alone there seejns to be some doubt whether the standard will be up to that of the best teams of other days. ''.Todfull and Ponsford aire slow, if sure, arid Grimmett is not what he used to be at cover. Darling and Brown are improving, but Ebeling and O’Reilly are uncertain. A test team could be selected from the sixteen which would be splendid in the field, but it might not be strong enough in other departments. The fielding question at present remains doubtful. “ Bradman’s selection as vice-cap-tain was logical. It is a sound policy to develop a prospective captain flora among the younger players on this tour, and Bradman, with his extra-ordinal-,v mentality, seems to bo the man. BROWN’S RAPID ADVANCE. “ Brown has made so rapid an ad* vance to fame that most of the experts were unanimous that he should go to England. His development has been steady and continuous. He takes notice of what he is toldj and has the Bradman faculty of learning something from every game in which he plays. He watches the ball so carefully and produces his strokes so soundly that I anticipate great success tor him in England. Brown is an excellent fieldsman, though he could with advantage develop a little more speed over the ground. He should become a great outfield or - mid-olf. “Ponsford has had a good season, and has been batting in the _ form which places >him among. the highest class in the land. Yet lie must have been closely pressed for the position by Fingleton. Ponsford is very ordinary in the field, and for this reason I think that Ponsford will have to bat at the very top of his form to keep Brown out of the test side as opening batsman. “ Fleetwood-Smith thoroughly earned his place, although the novelty of his bowling makes hist selection an experiment. If he can control his length on the . slower wickets he should reap a harvest against the counties, and might conceivably bowl his way into the test side, LUCKY MAN. “As second wicketkeeper, Barnett may be said to be the lucky man of the party. Walker is a splendid wicketkeeper, and in nine cases out of ten would have gained the position, on the established custom of selecting a wicketkeeper on his wicket-keeping ability only. But this happened to be the tenth case, and the weakness of the batting tail is sufficient justification for preferring Barnett as understudy to Oldfield. “Two selections which are - especially commendable are those of an allrounder, Chipperfield, and a potential all-rounder, Bromley. Chipperfield came into the limelight at the eleventh hour, but he has for several years been performing with distinction in good cricket company. He is a superb slip field, fit to be classed in the category of Braund, Tunuicliffe, and J. M. Gregory. His batting is solid and versatile. As a spin bowler, he will perhaps surprise many by his usefulness in England. From personal experience, I can say that he is of a type that is infinitely more effective in England than in Australia. I have little doubt as to his success on the other side.” Several other critics considered that Barnett was fortunate to have beaten Walker for his place. L. P. D. o‘Connor, a former Queensland captain, said that the non-inclu-sion of Oxenham was almost a slight to Queensland. He certainly would have given him Grimmett’s place. The inclusion of the two slow bowlers, Chipperfield and Fleetwood-Smith, was not warranted. i Regarding the appointment of Bradman as vice-captain, C. E. Kelleway holds the view that it would have been better not to have saddled him with the extra responsibility. “ The average batsman who scores a century in an important match rarely sleeps that night/’ states Kelleway. “Most of his limbs and body ache through overtiredness. How much more must Bradman suffer when he scores in double centuries? His recuperative powers, so far, have been good, but he is only flesh and blood, like all cricketers, and his greater achievements require greater rest.” Among the comments cabled from London were the remarks in the ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ of Mr P. F. Warner, manager of the M.C.C. team last season. ’ PRAISE FOR CHIPPERFIELD. Recalling his own recent statement that Chipperfield was one of the best batsmen ho saw in Australia last year, Mr Warner says that he originally though he had not done enough in Shield matches to warrant his inclusion in the team, but it was now stated that he was a good slow bowler and a fine slip fieldsman. Thus his selection could easily be understood. “ I have a high opinion of Chipperfield’s batting after the way in which lie punished short-pitched balls from Bowes and Voce at Newcastle,” says Mr Warner. “ Personally I would have chosen Fingleton in preference to either Ponsford or Kippax, and also Chilvers in preference to Grimmett. Maybe I am overkeen on young cricketers, but I have found it pays. Still, Grimmett is Grimmett. It looks as though Ebeling will bowl many overs, for Wall and O’Reilly must be rested frequently. Possibly, also, M‘Cabe may be unable to do much bowling following his operation. Fleetwood-Smith, against slowfooted batsmen, is sure to bo effective. His left-hand googly will turn more hero than in Australia, but ho will need to set the field very carefully against Hammond. Bradman is obviously destined to be Australia’s next captain.” The ‘Daily Telegraph’ says; “At first sight it appears somewhat hard to more experienced players that Brad-

man was chosen as deputy captain rather than Kippax, but Bradman is no neophyte in strategy. He has packed a lifetime of experience in his few years of first-class cricket, including the captaincies of the St. George and North Sydney teams,, having replaced a captain of long standing m the latter team. The selectors have made the future leadership of Australia more of a certainty for Bradman.” . Seven members of the touring team are employed on duties in sports stores. Three are school teachers. Bromley, aged twenty-one and four months, is the youngest member of the team. He is two months younger than Brown. Chipperfield’s age is twentyseven years. Those employed in sports stores aro Brown, Bromley, Fleetwood-Smith, Grimmett, Kippax, M'Cabe, and Oldfield. The school teachers are Woodfull, O’Reilly, and Wall, and the occunations of the remainder are as follows;—Clerks—Barnett, Darling, Ebeling, and Ponsford; journalist and broadcaster, Bradman; coach and groundsman, Chipperfield, .