TO-DAY'S CRICKET MATCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21114, 23 February 1932, Page 11

TO-DAY'S CRICKET MATCH

ARRIVAL OF SPRINGBOKS.

GREAT INTEREST IN GAME.

FAST WICKET PROBABLE. STRONG AUCKLAND ELEVEN. The South African cricketers will arrive by the Maunganui this morning and will commence their match against Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon at 2.30 o'clock. The boat is expected to berth at nine o'clock. Daring their visit to Auckland the visitors will stay at the Hotel Cargen. They will be formally welcomed by Mr. E. E. Nalder, chairman of the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association. Messrs. W. H. Winsor and E. 11. Caygill, of Christchurch, will meet the visitors on behalf of the New Zealand Council. An official welcome will be held in Christchurch next Saturday by the New Zealand Cricket Council.

Considerable interest centres in to-day's match as it will be the first occasion on which a South African cricket team has visited New Zealand. During their tour in Australia, although beaten in the five test matches, the Springboks proved a fairly formidable side and performed well against some of the State elevens. Not much reliance can be placed on the failure of the South Africans in the final test match against Australia. They were playing under conditions to which they were not accustomed. Wicket Covered. The wicket for to-day's match should be in good order in spite of the heavy rain experienced. Late yesterday afternoon the pitch was quite hard and it was covered last night. Therefore, providing the weather conditions are fine to-day, the wicket should bo fast and in favour of the batsmen. The visitors will be led by H. B. Cameron, considered in some quarters the equal of W. A. Oldfield as a wicket-keeper. Cameron is also a fine batsman. D. P. B. Morkel, vice-captain, is a fine allrounder. The stylish batsman of the team is K. Viljoen, who made 111 in the third test against Australia. Ho is also a useful bowler. Tho veteran of the side is H. W. Taylor, who is 40 years of age and is one of the greatest batsmen South Africa has produced. He has made six centuries in tests against England. A. J. Bell, the fast bowler of tho team, made a good impression in Australia and a good future is predicted for him as he is only 24 years of age. X. Balaskas is a bowler of the " googlv" type and is 19 years of age. Q. McMillan is a slow bowler and in England in 1929 he took 91 wicket-s. N. A. Quinn and C. L. Vincent are medium pace left-hand trundlers. Allcott Reappears.

Auckland, which fared badly in Plunket Shield matches this season, will be represented by a strong eleven. All the five New Zealand representatives are available and the side should make a creditable showing. C. F. Allcott will be taking part in his first representative match ■ this season. The Auckland Cricket Association has produced a special souvenir programme for the match, giving details and sketches of the players. The score sheet is more compact than that usually associated with such productions. The frontispiece of the brochure is of very neat design, containing the coats of arms of South Africa and New Zealand intertwined.

The Auckland team is as follows:—G. L. Weir (Eden), J. E. Mills (Eden), A. J. Postles (Eden), C. F. W. Allcott (Grafton), F. W. Byerley (Grafton), R. W. Flown tree (Grafton), H. G. Vivian Parnell;, A. W. McCoy (Parnell), D. C. Cleverlev (Ponsonby), A. M. Matheson (University), R. E.

Frater (Y.M.C.A.). T. Lyon (Y.M.C.A.) is twelfth man. G. L. Weir will captain the side.

The South African team will be selected from the followingH. B. Cameron (Captain), D. P. B. Morkel, H. W. Taylor, B. Mitchell, A. J. Bell, C. L. Vincent, S. H. Curnow, K. Viljoen, X. Balaskas, E. L. Dalton, N. A. Quinn. L. S Brown, J. A. J. Christy, Q. McMillan. Messrs. R. E. Turton and A. Tronson are the umpires.