TEST CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 28, 2 January 1926, Page 8

TEST CRICKET

AUSTRALIAN SELECTION. GREAT INTEREST IN ENGLAND. LONDON, Deo. 31. The newspapers make tho selection of tho Australian cricket team the featuro story of the day, with doublecolumn headings and special posters, together with photographs of the players choser. Expert cricket writers analyse tho qualities of the individual members of the teum, pointing out that it ia not difficult to judge of the standard of the cricket to be expected by the names of the men selected. They declare that the selectors should ho congratulated on having chosen sound men, thus avoiding daring experiments.

The papers discuss the team, particularly from tho viewpoint of the remaining players to bo selected. They realise that the selectors’ task is difficult, owing to the numerous claims. It would be more easily solved if of at least the half-dozen sound batsmen available any had bowling qualifications. The omission of Kippax proves that batting is no longer the consideration. Austrr'ia is undoubtedly being scoqred for a surprise bowler. Some critics are puzzled by the absence of Kellaway. Others believe that Kellaway, A. Richardson and Love are certain for inclusion, owing to their dual qualifications. , Hirst, of Yorkshire, questions Australia’s "Eowling strength, and points out that Collins is deprived of Armstrong’s advantage of two fast bowlors, such as Gregory and MacDonald, at either end. England’s side should be selected from the viewpoint of variety of attack. England is fortunate in that Tate and Macaulay are useful batsmen. The wicket-keeper should also be a good batsman. J. AV. H. T. Douglas (Essex), in an interview with the Daily Express, said that the Australian team was a formidable and well-balanced side. So far is he could see, followers of the fume n Australia could have no quarrel with the selectors. He was particularly pleased with tho selection of Grimmett, who was no mean batsman, and should turn the ball more on English wickets than he was able to on Australian. He hoped that Richardson would be chosen, as he, too, would bowl better in England. He was one of the few really good flight bowlers in Australia. Douglas considered that Hornibrook also deserved careful consideration, as ho had a splendid lefthanded medium spin. “I think the odds are on us, though the Australians have collected a most imposing side,” he added. J. B. Hobbs, in a special article in the Daily Chronicle, appeals to the newspapers to spare early criticisms and querulous fault-finding in connection with the selection of the English team. Reviewing the Australian selection, he criticises and pays tribute to the various players, and then adds: “It is not a super team. They can be beaten. I am not afflicted with over-confidence when I say that England has at least a fifty-fifty chance, and I rate our chances even higher on a wet wicket.”

Interviews by tho Australian Press Agency reveal the unanimity of all as to the powerful nature of the team. Hon. F. S. Jackson (Yorkshire) says that those selected will give Australia a powerful batting side, but where are the bowlers? he asks. Grimmett will arouse the greatest interest. It will also be interesting to see how the suggestion by M. AV. Tate (Sussex) and. others that Ponsford’s methods are not sound will work out on English wickets. The tests will be a toss-up. G. A. Faulkner, the Transvaal player, said it will bo the strongest batting side yet sent to England. Everyone welcomes the inclusion of Macartney and Bardsley, and the selectors showed sound judgment in giving the vice-captaincy to Bardsley, because he is unquestionably tho greatest of Australian batsmen on English wickets, as well as being an admirable general. Australia badly needs a first-class fast or medium bowler. The tests are very open, though Australia, s niora.l© will stand by them as in the past. P. F. Warner, interviewed, said: “Australia has selected a very hot battin" side. Its great strength lies in the faot that eight, r”>e, ten and eleven are all good batsme... You have "ot to get the whole side out, and are Tust as likely to have troublo after the sixth wicket has fallen as before. But they don’t seem to have found any new bowler except Grimmett. It will be 'interesting to see the remaining three selected. It is a difficult matter to choose between such promising players as .Lovo, A. Richardson, Ivippax and Kellaway, whose brilliant innings at Melbourne shows that he is still at the top of his form.” —A. and N.Z. cable. MATCH IN AUSTRALIA. NEW ZEALAND v. NEW SOUTH V WALES. BIG SCOReTbY LATTER. SYDNEY, Jan. 1. Tho weather was fine, with a cool breeze, when New Zealand met New South Wales at the cricket ground today The wicket was in excellent condition and the outfield was good. ’V aughan replaced Seddon in tho New South Wales team. Ratchffe won the toss and elected to bat. lho attendance was 3000. Play was ratner slow alter the dismissal of Phillips in the first over. The first hundred took 90 minutes. Brown played scratchily and was lucky to be missed by Patrick 'in the slips when three. The New Zealanders fielded excellently, and few bal s escaped them The bowling was also good, particularly that of Cunningham and Alicott. All the bowlers maintained a good length. Some of Blunt’s dehverias had the batsmen tied up, but his aose ones, of which there were a good many, were severely punished. Brown s play improved as the day progressed, ms partnership with Morgan yielding 4S piay livened after lunch Ratchffe had a narrow escape. When Brown delivered a short stroke, Blunt jumped Jut and with his shot knocked the S *ff, but Ratcliffe’s bat was just \i n Brown’s century _ coincided with \se appearance of 200, in 170 minutes 4ownf in his century stroke, returned the > la jj i us t above Cunningham s head, a litv, too high for him. Brown displayea>,mo n j co strokes, particularly a squard'isut, with which ho frequently rattled Ue w i c kets. With the score at 231 Brcw\ narrowly escaped being run out off AlWs first ball. Patrick made frequent changes in the bowlers, in an endtiyour to break the Brown-Ratcliffe P ar W. rs hip, but the score continued to mc-, n t up, both finding gaps in the he’d skilfully. When Ratcliffe was 65 Blum missed a Inw catch at first slip. The ‘rea adjournment saw the s c oro 2 7 8 fai three wickets, Brown being 148 and Rat'shortly after tea Dacre dropped an easy catch from Brown off Patrick. In tho y latter’s second over after tea, Sown hit him to Dacre at coverpoint, and the latter accepted it. jjrown received an ovation on ■ j n .r to the pavilion. Ho luttwentv yCe 4’s. The board read: Three foi

83, and then four for 312. Brown had occupied tho crease for 234 minutes. Ratcliffe continued to bat brightly. Boundaries appeared frequently, hut the fielding prevented gaining many from ground strokes. Dacre, Worker and Lowry were the outstanding fieldsmen, but all were good. Blunt proved a very expensive bowler, but Patrick persisted in using him. After batting 191 minutes, Ratcliffe was clean-bowled by Alicott. He hit thirteen 4’s. Itatciiffe gave a good exhibition of cricket, placing his strokes cleverly. He was warmly applauded on leaving tho field. Four hundred appeared for 283 minutes, Bardsley hitting strongly all round the wicket. The following are the scores:— NEW SOUTH WALES. First Innings. Phillips, b Cunningham 1 Brown, c Dacre, b Patrick 168 S :anes, b Alicott 17 Morgan, c Oliver, b Cunningham 29 Ratcliffe, b Alicott 128 R. Bardsley, not out ,54 Punch, c Allcoto, b Mcßeth 13 Vaughan, b Cunningham 11 Nicholls, not out 10 Extras 10

Total for seven wickets 441 —Press Association.

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES,

WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY.

Per Press Asst. ,ation. WELLINGTON, Jan. 1. The Plunket Snield match, Wellington v. Canterbury, commenced to-day at the Basin Reserve before a fair attendance. Wellington won the toss and hatted first on a good w’cket. T'attersall and Hiddleston opened tho innings, but the former went early and Kortlang filled the gap. The new pair batted slowly, but played solid cricket against accurate bowling and keen fielding. Kortlang, who was much quieter than usual, made 20 before sending one into Talbot’s hands. Dempster joined Hiddleston, but was never comfortable, and after making 29 was howled by Talbot. McGirr came in and play livened up. Hiddleston reached his double century without giving a chance, this being liis highest score in Shield cricket to date. He was caught behind the wickets by Bi unton after being at the crease over four hours. McGirr got a forceful- century. When stumps were drawn Wellington had nine down for 494. Details:

WELLINGTON.—First Innings. J. Si Hiddleston, c Brunton b Sandman 212 11. J. Tattorsall, run out 4 B. J. Kortlang, c Talbot b FindJay 30 C. S. Dempster, b Talbot 29 H. M. McGirr, c McEwin b Sand-

man 106 F. T. Badcock, b Talbot 8 H. Lambert, c Talbot b Sandman 25 W. Barclay, b Talbot 2

Al. Henderson, l.b.w. b Talbot ... 14 J. E. Banks, not out 30 W. S. Brice, not out 17 Extras 17 Total for nine wickets 494 Bowling analysis: Read 0 for 128, Findlay 1 for 91, McEwin 0 for 76, Sandman 2 for 78, Talbot 5 for 106. AUCKLAND v. OTAGO. AUCKLAND, Jan. 1. The Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Otago opened to-day. The wicked was fast. The attendance in the afternoon numbered 1500. Otago batted first, but could not make a st*nd against the Auckland bowling. Galland gave tho best display, making 44 runs by forceful batting. Player was tho best of the Auckland bowlers, and finished with the fine average of five wickets for 60 runs. The Auckland fielding was good. Horspool and Mills gave Auckland a good start, putting on 112 before Horspool lost his wicket. Otago’s total was passed before Mills was dismissed for 59. At tho close of the day’s play Auckland was in a strong position, having scored 208 for three wickets. Following are the scores: OTAGO. —First Innings. McMullan, c Smith b Simpson ... 6 Cherry, c Horspool b Smith 7 Alloo, c Horspool b Smith 18 Knight, b Player 4 Gallana, c Snedden b Player 44 Blamires, b Player 0 Duncan, c Rountree b Player 6 Conradi, b Player 33 Torrance, c Smith b Snedden 1 Zimmerman, not out. 9 Douglas, st. Rountree b Snedden 0 Extras 5 Total 131 Bowling analysis: Palmer 5 for 60, Sneddon 2 for 9, Smith 2 for 29, Simpson 1 for 30. AUCKLAND. —First Innings. Horspool, c Blamires b Torrance 64 Mills, c Galland b Torrance 59 Snedden, c Alloo, b Torrance 66 Smith, not out 22 Anthony, not out 9 Total for threo wickets 208 VICTORIA v. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE, Jan. 1. The weather was fine and the wicket good for tho cricket match between Victoria and South Australia. The Victorian team was. weakened owing to Ponsford, Baring and Ellis being unavailable. Play in the opening stages was careful and linteresting, but with the arrival of Woodfull play livoped up and runs came fast. Woodfull played a splendid, chanceless inning . Mitchell shaped well, but when lvo went the bowlers made short work of the rest.

A r ictoria : First .innings 232 (Ryder 16. Hendry 23, Lovo 22, AVoodfull 97, Rp ns ford 15, Mitchell 26). Bowling: Scott took two wickets for 51 runs, AVhitt.v two for 46, Grimmett two for 61, A. Richardson three for 40. South Australia had no wickets down for 20 runs when stumps were drawn. —Press Association. SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCH. MELBOURNE, Dec. 31. The Sheffield Shield match between New South AVales and Victoria was concluded in. fine weather and on a good wicket. Victoria, in the second innings, made 130 (Baring 30, Ponsford, not out, 25). Ivelloway took three wickets for 12 runs, Mailey three for 34 and Gregory two for 67. Now South AVales won by an innings and 162 runs. It was a hopeless fight from the commencement of tho day’s play, and the New South AVales bowlers took command, routing the A r ictorians, who appeared unablo to tackle the deadly deliveries, the remainder being dismissed within an hour.—Press Association. Victoria in the first innings made 413, to frhich New South' AVales responded (vith 705.