CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19202, 19 June 1924, Page 5

CRICKET.

The fact that Arthur Gilligan, of'Susse:;. lias been selected to captain England in the trial match against the South Africans on June 14, indicates that lie is (he man the selectors have in view for the captaincy of the English team in Australia next season. Among Australians in close touch with cricket and cricketers in England (states a Melbourne writer), the choice of Oilligan has caused no surprise. Men in a position to know declare that Gilligan was almost certain to be the man chosen And there is no doubt (hat on his record he ought, to be a success in the position. He is a- man of tremendous enthusiasm: lias shown as captain of Sussex that he is an inspiring leader, and. like Fender, has frequently shown imagination. So great is his enthusiasm that one can hardly 'imagine a team playing under him being anything but exceedingly keen. He has, of course, to prove himself against the South Africans, but, from what one has read about him, and from statements of those who know him, there docs not seem any reason why he should fail. There is no question that he has made the Sussex side one of the most, attractive in England. Indeed. critics have declared that the side is almost as popular since Gilligan took over the captaincy a couple of years ago as it was in the days when C. B. Fry and Prince Ranjitsinhji * were making tremendous scores with wonderful consistency season after season. We all know that enthusiasm is infectious, and Gilligan’s enthusiasm has certainly been infectious so far as tiie Sussex team are concerned. He has under him a number of young players who are almost as keen as he is. His enthusiasm was manifest when ho was a boy at school, and he carried it to the Cambridge eleven, with which he became associated after the war,_ hi? entry into the University having been' delayed by the outbreak of hostilities, and his service at the front with the Lancashire Fusiliers, with whom ho attained (he rank of captain. Just before the war he had played a, few times for Surrey, but after leaving the University he threw in his lot with Sussex. As a cricketer he is one of the best all-round men in England. He is regarded as the best fast bowler in the country, and is a batsman of the hardhitting class, who gets many runs. But, above all, he is a magnificent fieldsman in the offside, especially at mid-off, and it has been said that, if he never made a run or took a wicket he would he worth a place on almost any side on account of this. Ho is very quick and active on his feet, possesses a, renxarkabllv safe pair of 1 rands, and returns the ball with deadly, speed and accuracy. And from all accounts ho is a man with a personality, and no cricketer needs to be told how much this counts in the leader of a team.