CRICKET TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18680, 9 October 1922, Page 6

CRICKET TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND.

SOME WELL-KNOWN PLAYERS. INTERESTING PERSONAL DETAILS. THE M.C.C.’S SELECTION. {From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON. August 25. Details in connection with the two coming cricket tours —one to New Zealand and the other to South Africa—are now practically settled, though there arc still one or two gaps in the skis selected for New Zealand. because it is not definitely known yet whether some of those invited will bo able to obtain tho necessary leave. The side will consist of i2 amateurs and two professionals, and the voyage will be started by the Orvieto, leaving London on September 30. A few matches are to bo played in Australia, and the team will be in New Zealand from early in December until tho beginning of February. Several more matches will be played in Australia before the party leaves by the Ormonde for England about the middle of .March. The Sub-cricket Committee of the M.C.C, met under the presidency of Lord Harris, others present being Lord Chelmsford (president), Dr Russell Bencraf*, Major E. G. Wynyard, Mr H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, and Mr P. E. Lacey (secretary). After a lengthy session the players were selected botli for South Africa and for New Zealand, Those who have accepted the invitation for the latter tour are;—A. C. MacLaren (Lancashire), captain, Lieutenant-colonel J. C. Hartley (the Army and Sussex), the Hon. E. S. G. Calthorpe (Warwickshire), G. Wilson (Yorkshire), A. C. Wilkinson (the Army, late Oxford University), A. P. F. Chapman (Cambridge University), T. C. Lowry (Somerset), C. H. Titchmarsh (Herts). J. F. Maclean (Worcestershire), W. W. HillWood (Cambridge University and Derbyshire), and Freeman, A. P. (Kent). Definite information concerning Mr R. St. L. Fowler (tho Array) and Mr C H. Gibson {.Cambridge University) is awaited. Failing Mr Gibson, the Hon. D. F. Brand (late Eton) will bo asked. A second professional, probably Tildersley, H,, of the ground staff at Old Irafford, Manchester, will bo included. Mr H. D. Swan, who took a cricket team for a tour in Portugal in 1910, and who has only recently returned from a visit to New Zealand will accompany the party as manager, and if necessary, he can play as reserve man, as he is a hard-hitting bat change slow bowler, and he fields near the wicket. The M.C.C. side for New Zealand and Australia is not intended to be representative of England for a test match. It is an attractive team, mainly composed o£ young amateurs, who will give the States in Australia and the elevens in New Zealand, as it is hoped, a capital fight, and will play the game both on and off the field. Composed, as it is. of well-known cricketers who have done well in excellent company, although lacking a fast bowler, this side may otherwise bo regarded as likely in every respect to do credit to the Mother Country and to the Premier Club sending them across the seas. THE PERSONNEL. Mr MacLaren is no stranger to overseas spectators. He is one of the most famous and brilliant batsmen that ever lived. Was in his school (Harrow) eleven at 14, and later would come into test matches successfully with no preliminary practice. His superb battiqg, especially at Sydney, is memorable. Originally a magnificent outfield, he became a clever short-slip. He selected and captained the amateur side that beat the Australians so wonderfully last summer. As a leader ho has vast experience, and always knows his own mind. The name of Lieut.-colonel J. 0. Hartley, D. will be well lot own in New Zealand, for he it was who organised the good allround team that was to have gone out a year ago. He has played for Tonbridge, Oxford, and Sussex, and he was a member of Warner’s M.C.C. side which went out to South Africa in 1906, where he played in some of tho test matches. Although in his forty-eighth year, he is a steady bat, good slow bowler, and safe field. In a long cricket career he has always done credit to every side for which he has palyed. He will act as vice-captain of the team. The Hon. F. S. Gough Calthorpe, who has played for Eepton, Cambridge, Sussex, and Warwickshire, is an attractive bat, combining great punishing powers with power of restraint. Ho is a medium-paced bowler, who keeps an excellent length and a very good field. He captains Warwickshire, and hag played for the Gentlemen. Mr Geoffrey Wilson, educated at Harrow, where he played for his school, and at Cambridge, where he also was a prominent cricketer, now plays for Yorkshire. He is a sound bat, with fine defence. He holds the proud record of having made the highest score —170 —ever credited to an Harrovian in its contest with Eton. Ho is captain of the Yorkshire side, and is an excellent field, especially at double-point. Despite an injury to bis hand in the war, Mr A. C. Wilkinson (Eton. Ceford, and the Grenadier Guards) is regarded as being the finest bat in tho Army, possessing many strokes made in finished style. He also fields admirably near the wicket. Mr A. P. F. Chapman, who is 22 years of age. started on Ins cricket career at IJppingham, and he has followed it up at Cambridge and in Berkshire. The finest lefthanded bitter in England, he possesses a variety of punishing strokes. He is a, superb field and can bowl as a change. He has played for the Gentlemen for the last three years. This season he scored centuries alike in the University and Gentlemen v. Players—a feat unparalleled. Mr T. C. Lowry is, of course, a New Zealander, who was prominent as a cricketer at Cambridge; and has for the past two seasons been much to the fore for Somerset. He is a lively, forcing bat, a good outfield, and an excellent wicket-keeper. He was in America in 1920 with the Incognito Cricket team. Worcestershire's representative, Mr J. F. M’Lean (educated at Eton) is a first-rate wicket-keeper as well as being a stylish batsman. He is one of the season’s ’‘discoveries.” A RUNNING RECORD. Mr C. H. Titchmarsh has made more runs in minor county matches and club cricket than any other Englishman. . His fine innings for the Gentlemen at the Oval last year created a great impression. He will probably prove ib.e batting mainstay of the side, in addition to which he can keep wicket. He plavs for Hertfordshire, •Mr \V. W. Hill-Wood (Eton, Cambridge, and Derbyshire) is- a most patient bat with original style and is difficult to dismiss, though without pr.nishing power. He is "a change slow bowler Mr H. D. Swan (Uppingham and Oxford', chairman of the Committee of Essex, will be the first member of the committee of the M.C.C. ever to have acted in a touring managerial capacity, and the first since P. F. Warner to tour with a side. A. P. Freeman (Kent) will be one of the professional players. He is considered to bo by far the beat googly bowler in England, having much greater command over bis pitch than any- other player. He can keep an astonishing length whilst imparting spin to the ball. Ho hits very hard and is magnificent in tho field, especially at cover point UNCERTAINTIES. Replies to tho invitation are awaited from Mr R. St. L, Fowler (the' Army) and Mr C. H. Gibson (Cambridge University), who is now on visit to South America. However, should they bo able to take part, some personal information concerning their cricket prowess will be welcome in Now Zealand. Mr Fowler is the hero of the greatest performance in the long series between Eton and Harrow. He has since shown himself at every opportunity the best bowler in the Army, also a lively bat and safe field. Should tb« Hon. D. F. Brand go out instead of Mr C. H. Gibson, he will be a useful reserve man alike as bat and bowler. He was educated at Eton and was captain, of his school eleven. Mr Brand is a young man of 20. For all these interesting particulars I am indebted to the courtesy of Sir Home' Gordon, Bart., who, in a cricket column in the Liverpool Post this week, describes M 1 ’ Swan as a “man of colossal size, great enthusiasm, possessing fine knowledge of tha game as well as a ready wit and imperturbable good temper. He should prove an outstanding successful feature of the tour.”