ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20116, 29 November 1928, Page 11

ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

COMING TEST MATCH. UNIVERSAL INTEREST. Australian and X.Z. Pnsps Association. LONDON. Nov. 27. Mr. P. F Warner, cricket extfert, and a selector of the English team, writing in the Morning Post, says:— The cricket world eagerly awaits the first test match at Brisbane. Every ontliusias f will be there who possibly can. People will flock to the ground by train, motor-car, steamer and on horseback; It will he a place of pilgrimage to which all roads will lead.

The thoughts of cricketers in the Dominions and colonies, in Buenos Aires, Valparaiso. The Hague, Haarlem, China, the Suez Canal, Philadelphia—indeed all over the world—will be concentrated on the match, for cricket commands almost universal interest.

Whatever English side is selected, it will command our confidence. The Australians are great crickoters and great fighters. They are most dangerous when one thinks one lias got them beaten. That is tho time to leave nothing to chance. Chapman has proved himself such an ahle leader that lie would be tile last man in the world to uncler-estimate bis opponents. May good fortune attend him.

METHODS OF SELECTORS. CLEM HILL'S CRITICISM. "Tho next thing wo will see is a member of the Board of Control, with a megapliono in his hand, sitting on the fenco telling a mm in the field, whom they have appointed deputy, just what to do. Tho members seem to know so much about tho game that such an action would be 110 surprise." Tho foregoing remarks were made in Adelaide by Mr. Clem Hill, who was a selector when the last English team was in Australia, in describing the methods adopted to choose tho Australian'test team, lie said ho had never seen such a fanciful system. In the past tho board choso tho captain, who becamo tho selector for his State. Mr. Hill asked: "Did not tho board have enough confidence in itself to choose a captain ? It certainly does not seem to bo so, and then, further, they do not seem to have had confidence in the four men they appointed to choose tho 12 players. And four selectors? Did not thoy have tho pluck to name tho captain themselves? No, thoy must appoint another committee. Under the present system a captain will hardly know his side before he goes into tho field." Mr. Hill criticised the jprcsent method of appointing the umpires. A committee from tho Board of Control now did this, ho said, whereas, in tho old days, tho cap. tains, who were the best judges of tho merits of tun officials, made the selections. Cricket had ceased in some measure to bo a gamo. It was being dominated by tho Board of Control. He outlined the attitude ot the South Australian Cricket Association, which, at its meeting on Monday, vehemently criticised tho Aus tralian selection methods. The association had decided that its delegates should recommend to the board that tn future tours it should appoint the captain, who should become one of tho selectors, and that the captains should appoint tho umpires.

By special arrangement Neuter's world service, in addition to otliei special sources of information is used in the compilation of the overseas intelligence published in in is issue, and all rights therein in Australia and New Zealand are reserved. ... The cnblo news in this issue ioo .'^j! l e , to tho Times has appeared in that but only where expressly Times, news ibo editorial opiaiou o£ tue