“FULL OF POSSIBILITIES”

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1935, Page 2

“FULL OF POSSIBILITIES”

M.C.C. TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND. PROMISING CRICKETERS. Cabled advices from England indicate .that the M.C.C. team for the New Zealand tour is now rapidly taking shape (writes “Not Out” in the Wellington “Evening Post”). The touring team will be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, ever sent abroad by the M.C.C., and it will be a side full of possibilities. A few of its known members have already had their Test baptism, most have the best of their cricket ahead of them, and the majority should profit greatly by the experience to be gained on the coming tour, especially as it will include a series of matches on Australian wickets. New Zealand cricket, too, should benefit from the visit of this M.C.C. side, even if the financial burden is a heavy one to bear.

The ( team will be leaving England early in October, and en route to New Zealand -it will play five matches’ in Australia, as follows: Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. —v. Western Australia, at Perth. Nov. 8-12. —v. South Australia, at Adelaide.

Nov. 15-19.—v. Victoria; at Mel-

* bourne. Nov. 22-26. —v. New South Wales, at Sydney. Nov, 29 to Dec. 3. —v. Queensland, at Brisbane. In spite of the fact that two Australian teams will be away at the time—one in South Africa and the other In India —the M.C.C. team should attract a good deal of attention in each of the States. The match in Adelaide is likely to have the extra attraction of seeing D. G. Bradman leading South Australia for the first time. Bradman is reported to have regained good health and strength, and he has put on much weight, now tipping the beam at list. It was on medical advice in Adelaide that he decided against offering himself as a candidate for the team to South Africa. There will be other players of note to provide strong opposition for the M.C.C. team in at least some of its engagements in Australia. Due Here in December. The tourists are due here on December 9 or 10, and it is expected that their many engagements will include unofficial Tests. No information is available as to their New Zealand itinerary, but the Dominion' controlling body would be well advised to arrange matters so that these visitors will not find a tour -of New Zealand so strenuous an undertaking as in the case of some previous teams from overseas.

Of the players who have accepted places in the team for the visit to New Zealand, several have been prominent of late in the cricket news from England. J. Hardstaff, for one. has been doing remarkably well. The other day he distinguished himself by making 154 for his county (Notts) against the South Africans immediately. after he had made 123 not out in a county championship match. This young player is following in the footsteps of his father, who was one of the county’s best-known performers, and who represented England in Australia in 1907-B.' J. Hardstaff, jun., made his debut in county cricket in 1930 at the age of 17 years.

Another young player going ’‘great guns” with the bat is N. S. MitchellInnes, who is only 20 years of age. While still at school in 1931, he made his debut for Somerset. His progress since then has been excellent, with a marked jump forward last season and a rise to Test rank this season. At the start of the present season Mitchell-Innes hit up 96 for Oxford

University and followed this up with a fine score of 168 against the South Africans. Apart from being a batsman of exceptional merit, he is a useful change bowler.

D. Smith, a fine left-hand'batsman, first played for Derbyshire in 1927 when he was 20 years of age. Three years later he became a regular member of the side, and since then he has scored heavily for the county. Scores of 189 and 205 this season made him a strong Test candidate. However, a broken rib kept him out of the first Test against tbre South Africans, and, after a spell, he was considered again for the third Test. This batsman can be expected to do exceptionally well, on the coming tour. Others of Note. Another interesting figure in the side for New Zealand is the Hon. C. J. Lyttelton. He, 100, is the son v of a cricketer of note, the Hon. J. C. Lyttelton, now Viscount Cobham. He is an all-rounder, and, like his father, he is associated with Worcestershire in county cricket. Last season he showed promise of much development, and evidently this promise is being fulfilled, as "he has been performing quite well for the county this season. He is 26 years of age. , ; James Langridge, well known to New Zealand enthusiasts as one of Auckland’s coaches of recent times, is one of England’s' present-day Test players and was unlucky to miss a place in Jardine’s team against Australia. He was 29 years of age last week, and has been playing regularly for Sussex since 1924, being one of the county’s best all-rounders. Reports show that he is in splendid form this season, and again last week he was mentioned in the cabled news —a fine bowling performance and an invitation to go to Leeds for the third Test. He played in the recent second Test with South Africa.

J. H. Human, who is 23 years of age, has been a consistently good batsman since he scored three consecutive centuries at Repton in 1931. In his first match for Cambridge University he made 158 not out. He captained Cambridge last year, and, apart from doing well for the University, he has been a conspicuous performer with the bat for Berkshire and latterly for Middlesex. He was a member of Jardine’s team in India. Leading Bowlers. H. D. Read, who is 25 years of age, was a bowling “find” of last season, his fast bowling creating quite a sensation, and, it will be remembered, bringing some comment from Hobbs. He was regarded by many as being a faster bowler than all except Larwood. Read plays for Essex. •A. D. Baxter, who is eight days older than Read, is another fast bowler of the side. He will be remembered as a representative of Scotland against New Zealand and other teams, but, after having played a game or two for Lancashire, he is now qualifying to play for Middlesex. In a recent match for M.C.C. he took six for 39 and seven for 33.

J. M. Sims, of Middlesex, will be one <3f the all-rounders in the touring team, and if his improvement is maintained he should be one of the successes of the tour. Although he is 31 years of age, it was not until live years ago that he made his mark in first-class cricket. He often plays for the M.C.C., apd it was then in one of that club’s matches that he made a century against Kent. He has since made many good scores, and he has done well as a change bowler, being skilful in his serving up of slow legbreaks. Playing for M.C.C. against Cambridge University in a recent match, he took eight for 34. A. G. Powell, who is not quite 23 years of age, is included as a wicketkeeper of ability. He kept for Cambridge University last year and later took over the gloves for Essex. Not only as a ’keeper but also as a batsman Powell has been showing much improvement. The Captaincy. In place of R. E. S. Wyatt, who is due for a rest from cricket. E. R. T. Holmes has been invited to captain the side, and, if he accepts, he should fill the post with credit. Indeed, he is one of the players to be considered seriously for the captaincy of England in Test cricket. Ten years ago Holmes obtained his “Blue” at Oxford University, and in his third year he captained the side. He has since succeeded D. R. Jardine as captain of Surrey. As a batsman lie has a very fine record; he has been doing well season after season, and just, recently he added a double century to his long list of big scores. He was with the M.C.C. team on the last tour of the West Indies, and played in the second match of the present series of Tests with South Africa. Holmes, who will be 30 years of age this month, is also a useful change bowler. J. H. Parks, who is 32 years of age, has been playing for Sussex since 1924, has been one of the county’s most consistent performers, usually getting

his 1000 runs in a season and also collecting a good bag of wickets. His all-round ability is being revealed to the full this season, as already he has made some centuries and has returned excellent bowling figures. It is not surprising, therefore, that he should bo invited to take a place in the M.C.C. team for New Zealand.