TEST MATCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26114, 29 March 1946, Page 6

TEST MATCH

IMPORTANCE OF TOSS WICKET MAY NOT LAST AUSTRALIAN TEAM CHOSEN (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 28. The winning of the toss is expected to play an important part in deciding the four-day test match between Australia and New Zealand, which will begin at the Basin Reserve to-morrow morning. Following a week of fine weather, intermittent rain fell to-day, and since there is a forecast of unsettled weather, the outlook for the first day is uncertain. The Australian captain, W. A. Brown, has made no secret of his desire to have first use of the wicket. A different wicket will be used from that played on in the Wellington match last week, but the Australians doubt if it will last any better.

“I hope the luck that has followed me and the team I have played in this season holds good,” said W. A. Hadlee, the New Zealand captain, to-day, when remarking that in no game had either he or his side lost the toss. Napier and also Bulli soil was imported to the Basin Reserve about 30 years ago. but the wicket area for big matches has since been top-dressed with soil which lacks the binding qualities of first-class wickets. . The result has been that the pitch begins to loosen up by the third day of play. That was the position on the third day of the Wellington match, when the Australian left-arm spin bowler, F.. Toshack. was able to turn the ball appreciably both ways and had all the batsmen and even the wicket-keeper in trouble. On a similar wicket it is thought that W. J. O'Reilly would be almost unplayable. The wicket has been protected in accordance with M.C.C. rules—no further than 3ft Bin in front of the Dopoing crease. The two South Australians, B. Dooland and R. A. Hamence. have been dropped from the Australian side for the test. The teams are as follows:

Dooland is twelfth man for Australia, but it has not yet been announced whictt of the New Zealand players will stand down.

NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA W. A. Hadlee W. A. Brown W. McD. Anderson W. J. O’Reilly V. J. Scott * S. G. Barnes W. M. Wallace K. Meuieman J. Cowie K. R. Miller D. C. Cleverley A. L. Hassett C. C. Burke C. V. McCool C. G. Rowe L W. Johnson E~ W. Tindili D. Tallon D. A. N. McRae R. Lindwall L. A. Butterfield E. Toshack P. E. Whttelaw B. Dooland