PERSONNEL OF TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 10

PERSONNEL OF TEAM.

MR. SNEDDEN'S VIEWS.

THE PASSING OF ROWNTREE.

BADCOCK'S SELECTION WRONG.

Commenting upon the New Zealand cricket team last evening, Mr. N. C. Snedden, one of the Auckland Cricket Association's selectors and a former New Zealand representative, said it was a good batting and fielding side and fairly strong as regards bowlers, while the players were generally young and of the 'type to do very well abi'oad. On account of the large number of nominations and the evenness of the form shown in the Plunket Shield matches, the selectors had been faced with an unenviable task and, with one or two exceptions, had done very well.

So far as the personnel of the team is concerned, Mr. Snedden considered that R. W. Rowntree, the Auckland wicketkeeper, should have been included and A. S. Player (Auckland) should have been substituted for McGirr. The greatest mistake, he said, was the omission of Rowntree, who was without equal in the Dominion as a wicketkeeper and because of his skill should have been included in a team which was not over-strong as regards bowlers. The latter needed all the assistance they could get, and certainly Rowntree would have been invaluable behind the stumps. He had shown his real value to the bowlers in the recent representative matches contested by Auckland —in fact, his anticipation was uncanny. He could hardly be ruled out on the score of age. He was no older than Oldfield, of Australia, and Strudwick, of England, and other first-class wicketkeepers * who had been selected for test cricket and more serious tours than the forthcoming one. "In my opinion-,", he said, "if Rowntree were sent, the wicketkeeping would "be the only branch of the game to reach a first-class standard."

Player Instead of McGirr. Mr. Snedden said he would not advocate the non-inclusion of James in preference 'to , Rowntree. The Wellington wicketkeeper was a good batsman, and for his batting alone deserved his posi J tion.. Lowry was not up to good wickets keeping standard. The most acceptable step would have been the, selection of Rowntree as well as James. J

Concerning Player, the speaker said the Aucklander had earned a place by his performances this season more so than had McGirr. Player had never failed to capture wickets, and good wickets, too, and, besides, he had been consistently successful witb Jhe bat. His value as a bowler and his ability to stand plenty of work were exemplified in the more recent representative matches,' particularly the contest i with the Melbourne Cricket Club team.-

The Auckland colt, H. D. Gillespie, could be considered unfortunate, in that this , season there were so many other promising young batsmen available. There vvas .no doubt, however, that his fielding alone would have been of immense value to any side, and that it was worth quite 30 funs before he 1 went in to bat. However, it was impossible to select everyone aftd Gillespie was just unlucky. Inclusion of Badcock. "It is hard to understand why Badcock, lias been included," Mr. Snedden continued. "He will undoubtedly strengthen the side considerably, both in batting 'and, bowling, 'but'.he is'.only a coach employed by the Wellington Association, and there is every reason to believe that he will reside in Wellington and remain a New . Zealander only as long as his term of appointment lasts. It seems that the selectors in, this case have aimed at .results, instead of taking into consideration the fact that Badcock's inclusion is : depriving some New Zealander of a place, in the team. "Merritt, the Canterbury youth, has been included on the slender judgment of his bowling performance against a mediocre batting side such as Otago during, the past few days and a special tryout. He is very young and inexperienced, and a risk is being taken with him. He may show great promise, but so does A. M. Matheson, the local player, whose figures for Auckland this season have been wonderfully consistent- for a young player in his first period of senior cricket. I do not mean that Matheson should have been selected, but I mention him to show how lucky Merritt is to be picked out. It usually takes more than one Plunket Shield match to earn a cricketer a place in a New Zealand team." In conclusion, Mr. Snedden said it was strange that the selectors should choose only three men ffom the Auckland eleven, which had succeeded in winning the Plunket Shield and playing a good drawn game against, the Melbourne team.