THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12760, 10 January 1905, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Wi: publish to-day an item of news in' 1 vanscendant importance to Australia. it is the completion or the cricket team that is to represent the Commonwealth, in England. I* or mouths now the .selection ot. the men has been a subject of absorbing inI crest io all classes in all the States. Each Slate has been anxious that it should .have representatives, but (lie choice goes by merit. '1 litis it hyppens thai, of the fourteen men selected from among scores of candidates eight belong to New South Wales, four to South Australia, and only two to Victoria. There are many non-cricketing Victorians who will feel that the State has been badly treated. It goes without saying thai the selection will lie keenly criticised and will cause much heartburning, but all errors will be forgiven if the team wins the rubber. While Australia, is sending her cricket champions oversea to do battle for her. New Zealand is giving much anxious attention to the picking of her football representatives for the Motherland. These games may lie considered as expressions of the national character, and so long as they are played by the young and admired by old and young there need be no fear of race decadence.