Can the English Eleven Beat the Australians?

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 43, 5 January 1912, Page 16

Can the English Eleven Beat the Australians?

By J. B. HOBBS, in "M.A.P."

{The writer ot this article is tho wellknown Surrey cricketer, who is not only one of the best batsmen in the English team, but is perfectly familiar with the. conditions of cricket in Australia. For that reason his forecast of the success of tho team is particularly valuable.)

I am convinced that quite nine out of every ten cricket enthusiasts are under tho impression that the- team selected by the JM.C.C. to tour Australia is not competent to undertake the task of recovering the ashes, and that, as a body, the side is inferior to many which have gone to the. Antipodes before.

So far as the inability to win the rubber of tost matches is concerned, I don't tliiu.k any side takou from England, no matter liow it is constituted, could be relied upon bo forehand to accomplish such a task, for the Australians hero and in their own country are two entirely different nuts to crack; but the inferiority of the- present touring team is purely imaginary. In the last tour it was generally thought that wo had a good sporting chance of winning the rubber, and it is when I compare the two sides —the present one and that of which I was a member some three years ago —that I have the very decided opinion that this touring team is a. better one than the last, and certainly it is far stronger than the public imagine. AN ABSENCE OF "DASHERS." However, I can easily understand why the man in4hs .street'doesn't fancy thu combination, and why /oil!; , critics have openly stated that Mr. A. U. Jones's side was stronger! They err. of course, but their impressions :vre pardonable because they are derived from the fact that we are not taking out so many dashing players this time as we did last. "Dashers" are all very well, but are not always to be relied upon, and provided our present side can-produce their English form, we shall certainly prove- ours.'lw.s a very strong team. So far as the State figures are conivnu.'cl, [_.fully expect we. shall score hi,my victories, but tho tests will be keener than ever, and if we get some luck, we shall come out top dog ; if not, I urn very'much afraid that the ashes will remain where they are. The Australians are tremendously strong in their own country. It doesn't require a. microscope, when looking at the ■Mivnvs of our men, to see that we are ■thoroughly solid in every department of til; , game rather than brilliant; indtvi, so safe a battling side have we that I often wonder who will be left out when we oppose Australia. a rorrLAii captain. We have at least 12 of the. best batsmen in England, nine fine bowlers, and two splendid wicket-keepers; and, with such a wealth of talent at his command I do not envy Mr. Warner his job in making the £-:ial selection before each test match. The mention of oar captain's name gives mc tho opportunity of pointing out the fact that lie is very popular with the player.3, and we are satisfied that the efcr,-'-o of a skipper could not have been Iwppier. The public are probably unaware of th« value attaching to tho personal popularity of the captain of a team that visits Australia; but I have been on colonial tours before, and can well understand what a huge difference it would make were an unpopular man to be placed at the head of affairs. I have heard all sorts of suggestions' in regard to the captaincy, and I am only voicing tho opinions of my (comrades when I say that we arc happy to own Mr. Warner as our leader. A great cleal of the success of a touring team rests upon the good feeling between uhc players; and, so far as the professionals themselves are concerned, I am convinced that we shall be a. united \nd happy band of brothers.

Toams havo been known to fail dismally without any apparent cause, but lot the ffcling of discontent and enmity croop in, and it will ruin the best aide.

I am already looking forward to witnessing some fine performances on our si'.io; indeed, I am prepared to vouch for the success of Mr. Warner, Mr. Duuglas, P. Mead, Wilfred Rhodes, Kinneir, George Ounn, and one or two others. Mead is my fancy aa the most successful batsman, with Mr. Warner and Wilfred Rhodes running him very closely. Of Mr. Foster I cannot writo autlioritatirely, as, although I have, of »ursc, met him in county championship and one or two other fixtures, I am not sufficiently acquainted with his cricket to form any opinion of his proSable ability on Australian wickets. Flowever, it is quite likely that J. W. flearno will add to his laurels, and will return to England with all the finish of a cricketer who has had some ten years' experience.

Our bowling will bo decidedly above that of tho average touring sido sent away from England, with Barnes a good first, but out there we don't expect to got wickets at a email cost. It is pretty hard work, and requires no end of strategy to got a test team

out in England, whilst in Australia the task is 50 per cent, more difficult. I look to Sid Barnes,'Hitch, Frank Woolley, Iremongor, Mr. Foster, Mr. Douglas, Wilfred Rhodes, and J. W. Heariie to do the needful under ordinary conditions, with Joe Vino to do some extraordinary things after a big stand has boon made. VALUE OF COMBINATION. There a-ro all sorts of stupid ideas going about that the teams of cricketers who go out to Australia are ovorfetod, and the hospitality of the colonials is such that the game itself' is only a secondary consideration. I scarcely need say that this is a mistaken idea altogether, and that our lives, so far as banqueting is concerned, are made subservient to our success at cricket . Of course , , if wo took advantage of all the hospitality which is proffered, there would bo very little time for the game; but wo are all bent in adding lustre to English cricket, and so there is not much fear on. this score. In ending, I woiild say that, after we have been playing together a.fewtimes, there will not be a better combination of cricketers —I mean, English cricketers. What the Australians will do remains to be seen. Our bowling is likely to bo very strong, our fielding thoroughly sound', and we have got a side which can remain at the wickets for a week, if they like to play for keeps. We are, however, going to win the majority of our matches—if not the tests —and the critics will be somewhat startlcid at our success when comparing it with that of the last sido, or, indeed, that of any former touring team. Of this I am assured. May Mr. JA-?'w"ef again have tho honor of urihgmg back tho ashes is the sin-ce-re wish of JACK B. HOBBS.