HIGHER STANDARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26410, 14 March 1947, Page 8

HIGHER STANDARD

CRICKET IN DOMINION COMMENT BY MANAGER OF ENGLISH TEAM “ From what little cricket we have seen in New Zealnad up to the present, the standard seems to be v,ery good in the Dominion,” said Major Howard, manager of the English touring team, in an interview with the Daily Times yesterday afternoon. The team arrived by the express from the north at 4.18. “The standard appears to be higher than when Errol Holmes’s M.C.C. team was here in 1937,”. he added. Major Howard said it was a long time since the M.C.C. team had last paid a visit to this city, although English teams had visited the Dominion in the interim. The cricket played in the game at Wellington had been most attractive, and the whole English team had thoroughly enjoyed it. He added that the team expected to get some good cricket on the Carisbrook wicket. Asked what the tour of Australia had disclosed with regard to the basis of future English teams, Major Howard said that the future of cricket in England would look after itself, as cricketers were coming forward all the time. Major. .Howard said, in reply to another question, that the performances of the English players had not been materially affected by the rationing in Britain, as the majority of the, team -had been in the forces, and had received servicemen’s rations.

Major Howard expressed appreciation of the gifts of food sent to the English people by the people of New Zealand.