M.C.C. SIDE

Evening Star, Issue 22084, 18 July 1935, Page 4

M.C.C. SIDE

PLAYERS FOR NEW ZEALAND TOUR THUMBNAIL SKETCHES OF THE ENGLISHMEN Ten players have already accepted the Marylebone Cricket Club’s invitation for a tour of New Zealand in 1935-36, playing a few games in Australia before coming here. E. R. T. Holmes has been offered the captaincy, and James Parks also invited to make the trip. Notes on these players E. R. T. Holmes.—Born August 21, 1905. Fifth in Surrey averages last season, scoring 1,186 runs at an average of 33.88. Hit centuries against Lancashire, Essex, and Kent. Also took 41 wickets for 1,394 runs, average cost 34. J. H. Human.—Born January 13, 1912. Topped Cambridge University’s batting averages in 1934 with 64.44 for 18 completed innings. His 1,160 runs included no fewer than five centuries — against Worcester, Essex, M.C.C., Glamorgan, and Sussex. Quick on his feet, Human gave some glorious displays. Had malaria when in India with the 1933 team. L. F. Townsend, average 31.44, and James Langridge, average 30.43, were also in India. The former headed the bowling with 43 wickets for 608, average 14.13; Langridge was fifth, 31 wickets for 585, average 18.87. N. S. Mitchell-Innes. —Born September 7, 1914. Led the Oxford University batting last summer, 998 runs at an average of 55.44. He hit centuries against Surrey, Minor Counties, and Gloucestershire. For Somerset, however, he scored only 335 runs in 19 innings (three not out), average 20.93. He combines strong defence with clean bitting all round the wicket. MitchellTnncs. who played in the first test, is one of four who have compiled a century against the South Africans this tour, bavins made 163 for Oxford. A. G. Powell—Born on August 17, 1 912. Filled the pns‘ i ’on of wicketkeeper for 'Cambridge last vear with •narked ability. He score' l 154 runs °or Varsity in 15 innings (once unbeaten). rind had an average of 20 when he subsequently played for Essex. Hon C. J. Lyttelton. Son of ninth Viscount Cobham (Hon. J. C. Lyttelton), who played for Eton and Worcestershire. Has reputation of being a hard-hitting batsman for Worcestershire. H D. Read.—Born January 28, 1910. Regarded by some batsmen who played against him as faster than any other bowler in first-class cricket, save Larwood. A great trier, Read has the makings or h first-rate pace bowler. Ho was second in the Essex averages last summer, averaging 20.69 for his

58 wickets. He created a sensation by taking seven Surrey ‘wickets for 35 at Brentwood. In 1933 Read assisted Surrey under a residential qualification, figuring against both universities, hut three weeks later he appeared for the county of his birth, Essex. James Langridge.—Born July 10, 1906. He is a left-hander, who in 1933 was one of the outstanding all-round-ers in England. For Sussex alone that year he scored 1,340 runs (average 41.87) and took 136 wickets (average 15.50). His figures last year were 1,134 runs (average 37.80) and 48 wickets (average 28.35). Has represented England against West Indies, India, and South Africa. Langridge was in Auch land with E. H. Bowley for the 1927-28 season, and ho scored 46 and 78 against the strong Australian team at Eden Park in March, 1928. Dennis Smith.—Born January 24, 1907. He materially assisted Derbyshire into third position in the 1934 county championship. After a disappointing previous year, when he was ninth, Smith _ (another _ left-hander) gave some brilliant exhibitions of fast scoring, and regained second place in the averages with 35.56, compared with 20.45 in 1933. Increasing his aggregate by as many as 706 runs, he headed the list of century makers (with two against Surrey, one each Gloucestershire and Essex), and his spirited play had an uplifting effect upon his colIC Tm. Sims.—Born May 13, 1904. Owing to an appendicitis operation did not play” for his county (Middlesex) last year until mid-July. He often bowled his slow leg breaks skilfully, and in the first innings against Lancashire, on the champion county stronghold at Old Trafford, Sims took nine wickets for 92. His 37 wickets for the season cost 28.35 runs apiece. He had useful batting figures; 18 innings, 5 not-outs. 322 runs, highest score 69, average 24.76. “Called up” for third test against South Africa. J. Hardstaff, jun.—Born July 3, 1913. He is a son of the Notts player who took part in all five tests for A. O. Jones’s M.C.C. team in Australia. 1907-08. In the most doleful season of Notts’ varied career, young Hardstaff came along most opportunely and. the one batsman to rise from the ordinary to the highest standard in his county’s hour of need, he earned_ high praise. Securing a remilar place in the side and promoted in the order to “second wicket down,” Ha’-pstrif impro"ed out of a 1! recognition. Stylish, strong, and confident, he p’ayed many a fine innings, with four centuries as his best: Hampshire. Essex. Surrey, and Leicester. His tally for Notts was 1,714 at an average of 40.80. He recently topped the hundred for his county against South Africa, a feat which led _ to his being “ called up for the third test. „ J. H. Parks.—Born May, 1903. Ho met with an accident, having a bone in his right hand broken by a ball from E. W. Clark, the Northants left-arm express. Although missing a month of cricket, Parks, opening batsman, revealed a great improvement upon his 1933 form, especially when facing fast bowling, while his skilful flighting of

the ball made him a valuable member of the attack. He scored 1,386 runs for Sussex (average 50.74) and took 56 wickets for 28.30 runs apiece. '• The first six players .are amateurs and the remaining half-dozen professionals. To complete the party, apparently, a couple more amateurs are to be chosen. Six of the dozen players already announced to make the New Zealand tour have either played in this season’s tests against South Africa, or “called up ” for the last week-end match at Leeds.