NEXT CRICKET TESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20517, 19 March 1930, Page 7

NEXT CRICKET TESTS.

OPTIMISM IN ENGLAND/

VIEWS OF HERBERT SUTCLIFFE,

HIDDEN BOWLING DANGER.

B? J. N. SHERWOOD. LONDON. Feb. 4

Carried away by our victories over Australia in that country, the people here are taking it for granted that England will retain the cricket "ashes.",-There is, howevei, one well-known authority who is not quite iso certain, and his ex-, pressed view that "England might just scrape through" lias somewhat dampened the' feelings of our people. Had A. E. It. Cilligari, who has now turned journalist, expressed these views, ' they would have, been taken with a grain of but seeing that the authority is none other than 'Herbert Sutcliffe, the hero of, many great stands against Australia, naturally people take notice. Sutcliffe is not so certain about Eng* land beating the young Australian team* "The tests," he said, "will be deadly affairs, but I think England will just scrape through." 1 asked hirn his reason for his'rather pessimistic note, when all England was so optimistic. "Well,'in the first place," replied the .famous, test batsman,: "although we wort .four of the five test matches in Austra* lia, the results were not a fair reflection of tho actual play. Had Macartney and Mailcy been included in the first twq tests there might have been a, different tale to tell. I am looking forward to Australia fielding a wonderful side in thai coming tests. There is a splendid blend 'of youth and experience,-and it looks to me that our friends are once more about) to start and ride on . the crest of tho wave." • . Australian Bowling. It was suggested that the Australian bowling did not. appear _to> be any too strong, whereupon 'Sutcliffe revealed a, very interesting .fact. He thinks that Australia's bowlers, in the main, will be much more dangerous on English wickets than on their own.

" The bowlers, Australia has chosen added Sutcliffe, "are stronger than the newspapers in' England make them out to be. In Australia the ballceased to swing after about three overs, .but on soma grounds in England, it can be made to swing practically the whole day. And Australia has the men to. make it swing.Hence the hidden danger." Having watched cricket in three different parts of the world, -I- do not see any reason for optimism in England on tha score of Australia sending over young .players who are not accustomed to our wickets. The last South African team carried many newcomers,' but in no way did it detract from the fighting qualities of the sido. Furthermore, if these young South Africans could defy the combined attack of Tate. Larvvood and White, then I cannot see Australia's younger generation failing, for, with all due respect to the young Springboks, I hold that Australia's youth is more versed in batting technique than that cf South Africa.

South Africa commenced the campaign of giving youth its chance. • Australia has followed suit, and now English cricket writers arc' suggesting that England must go warily lest she falls into the - trap, suffered by Australia, of keeping tha veterans in harness. Already we are having newspaper' campaigns urging tha retention of Jack Hobbs, and hardly a> cricket writer in mentionfl% possibles for the test matches includes youth tha teams selected. From what I saw of tha test engagements with South Africa last season, I strongly hold the opinion that certain of our "stars" will have ito display better form to retain their places this coming season. Of course, the plea was put forward that certain bowlers were sick to death of . cricket, which may have been justified, and which alternatively proves what I say, that there was reason for fearing that certain of the old stalwarts were gradually their "pep.'s Tate and Larwood.

If England's hopes are to be vested in Tate and Larwood as destructive bowlers, then these two must reveal more sterling qualities than. tliey did against Soutli Africa. Both, of course, complained about being ovenvorked owing to their calls in the Australian (our, and for England's sake I hope this claim may be proved to bo right when the Australians take the field against us. Certainly it is strange that not one player who was so successful in Australia did anything outstanding against the South Africans. Jack White's bowling held no terrors for the Springboks, neither did Larwood's, while Tate merely kept runs down, without getting wickets. Freeman, the Kent "googlie" bowler, was the, only man to trouble the Springboks, and yet it is„unthinkable that England will rely on Freeman to fool Australian batsmen out. The Australians have a happy knack of hitting such bowlers all over the field, just as have American boxers the iiabit of stripping would-be English world champions to pieces in the roped'arena. The only player whom I should regard as a certainty for the Australian tests is Frank Woolley. What of Hammond ? On his form last season, when his batting became stodgy and cramped, he will have to command his place. Duleepsinhji is a strong claimant for test honours, but while I have been charmed with his beautiful batsmanship, I rather doubt his steadiness. He takes risks, and Aus« tralians as a,rule hold their catches.