CRICKET TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22725, 11 May 1937, Page 11

CRICKET TOUR

NEW ZEALAND TEAM RAIN DELAYS MATCH PRAISE FROM THE CRITICS STRONG OPPONENTS NEXT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 10, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 10 The cricket match New Zealand v. Surrey was to have been resumed at the Oval this morning, but owing to rain there was no play before lunch.

The Sunday newspapers almost unanimously praise the New Zealand cricketers for the successful opening of their tour in the match against Surrey. The critics were particularly impressed by the bowling of Roberts, the batting of Carson, and the fielding of Wallace and Donnelly.

Gallichan is cartooned as: "Last, but by no means least'' in the News of the World.

Vivian's cover-drive is pictured as a page-wide sportsreel in the Dispatch.

The team was feted at dinner by the Surrey Cricket Club in the historic Armourers and Glaziers' Hall, which was attended by Messrs. Walter Nash, New Zealand Minister of Finance, and W. J. Jordan, High Commissioner. Sir Stanley Jackson, who was captain of England when Australia was beaten in the test series in 1908, proposed the toast of the Surrey team, and Earl Midelton that of the New Zealanders.

It is evident that the second game will be a stern test for the visitors, as the Marylebone team *to play New Zealand at Lord's on May 12, 13 and 14 includes seven leading amateurs and four able professionals. The Marylebone eleven will comprise: R. E. S. Wyatt, captain (Warwickshire), R. H. Moore (Hants), T. N. Penrce (Essex), J. W. A. Stephenson (Essex), A. D. Baxter (Lancashire), S. C. Griffiths (Cambridge University), J. H. Human (Middlesex), E. Hendren (Middlesex), W. J. Edrich (Norfolk), D. Compton (Middlesex), and J. M. Sims (Middlesex). The Marylebone side represents a judicious blending' of youth and experience, and it is evident that the selectors are experimenting with a number of new players, several of whom had good claims for selection in the test side which Recently toured Australia and New Zealand. Five of the players, 11. E. S. Wyatt, A. D. Baxter, S. C. Griffith, J. H. Human and J. M. Sims, have been seen in the Dominion, while E. Hendren, the evergreen Middlesex professional, is well-known to followers of the game by reason of his brilliant exploits in international and county cricket. Wyatt was a member of the M.C.C. test side which visited the Dominion during the past season, while Sims, who also was a member of the test team, visited New Zealand with Holmes' eleven in company with Baxter, Griffith and Human. Baxter is a fast bowler of outstanding quality; Griffith a wicketkeeper; Human a dashing all-rounder, while Sims will be remembered as a slow bowler of exceptional ability. Captain of the Hampshire eleven, R. H. Moore is a batsman of the attacking typo. He secured a four-figure aggregate last season, swaying the balance in several games by his dashing methods. T. N. Pearce, joint captain of Essex, is another dependable batsman who finished last year with the fine average of 31.04. J. W. Stephenson is one of Essex's leading bowlers. He is considered to be probably the most awkward bowler in England to play owing to the disconcerting manner in which he swings the ball. In taking nine wickets for 46 runs for the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's last season, he nearly earned selection in the M.C.C. team for the Australian tour. W. J. Edricfc is the leading all-rounder in the Norfolk side, which is ranked among the second-class counties.

D. Compton leapt into prominence last season when he scored 1000 runs in his first season in county cricket—a very unusual feat. He is also a brilliant Soccer player, being a member of the famous Arsenal side. In the Middlesex averages last season he finished second only to "Patsy" Hendren. P. F. Warner, chairman of the test match selection committee, in commenting on Compton's performances, said: "He is the best young batsman who has come out since Walter Hammond was a boy." Compton is a punishing type of batsman with an eminently sound defence.

A feature of tho first day's play in the. match between Surrey and New Zealand was that no* fewer than six batsmen lost their wickets through leg before decisions. Four Surrey men suffered this fate, while Kerr and Vivian also stepped in front. With the new leg before rule in operation it may be expected that there will be a much larger crop of such decisions than was the case when the two former New Zealand teams visited England. The wording of the new rule is as follows: The striker is out to a ball which, pitching on the off side of the striker's wicket, would have hit the wicket had it not been intercepted by part of the striker's person (except his hand) which part was between wicket and wicket at the moment of impact.