THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12860, 8 May 1905, Page 3

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

FACTS ABOUT THE MEMBERS.

The chief feature of interest in the present cricket season in Eußland is the visit of the Australians, whose merits are. discussed by Mr. Home Gordon in the Badminton. One of the finest all-round cricketers Australia ever produced is Mr. Noble. Of Victor Trumper it seems impossible to write too. eulogistically: "By general consent be is the best batsraai in the world; but even more than this, he impersonates the attractiveness of the roost popular department of the game. ! have never seen anyone, except the late George Lohmanu. «ho so thoroughly exhibits what may do termed the zest oi batting, and m Lmgland the only cricketer who seems to show this characterise, toons marked extent is Mr. Ki H. Snootier. It should be noted that whilst every stroke .hat. Mr. Trumper makes appears exactly appropriate, lie is by no means entirely orthodox. Indeed, one might sa that, like K. 3. Ranjitsinhji, he « a law of perfection unto himself. At the wicket he rarely presents the whole face of the bat to the. bowler; ami before the ball reaches hun he has decided what to do, and he does 'ii vigorously." , , , .__ Mr. Duff is Trumpet a usual partnw when an nniugs is opened; it is V™\>M» that his wicket will prove the most difficult of. all to capture. •' . . Mr. Clement Hill, the left-handed bat is generally supposed to be primarily a defensive bat but: "His batting average of ' 5 against Mr. Stoddarfs second team does not bear this out. and his 188 in the fourth test match is universally regarded as one of the finest ever scored in international matches He brought home tin. soundness of bis cricket to the British community•by an invaluable 135 at Lords in, 1899 in perhaps the worst of all the series.so far as the Mother Country was concerned. On his last visit he seemed to hit harder., but not to be so sound." , , . __ Mr. Darling, of whom it was thought we had seen the last, is. again to come against us-, tremendous driver who "is nr, , rone to let his punishing capacities have full play. Mr A. R. Gehrs is a newcomer: Lnquestionably the best colonial batsman who las not yet visited England, he is reported to be extremely strong in li'« back play, but combine; this with formidable scoring powers, hitting with confidence all round the wicket. In addition, at cover-point he is 31 to be likely to astonish a general that has known S. B. Gregory in that '"'xirMJrcgory has already visited England fire times, and is included in the present te The dark horse of the combination is Mr. \. Cotter, who has yet to prove that His terrify. & - princ . pal *ftS Mr. A. J. Hopkins should be the belt bowler-he who. in the last test match at Lords, bowled 0. B. Fry and Ra,■ iiteinhji without a run being scored. .Mr W. P. Howell has proved a futile^^ at over here, but it does not follow this ill-luck will always pursue him. Mr. Warwick Armnlr^^tr^in^B99.rde :r^ J,is otherwise unsuccessful batting by once scor"StSng M 2i combination ].. it has a weak spot-the lack of a left-handed bowl": "The weakness of colonial cricket to-day lies in bowling and this weakness see« specially demonstrated in the selection that has been made.