Too Much Work for Our Fast Bowlers

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26782, 27 May 1948, Page 5

Too Much Work for Our Fast Bowlers

By Jack Hobbs

While we are busy ■weighing up the Australians, and thinking about—but not choosing—the men we can put in the field against them in Test matches, it should be remembered that the odds are on the touring side.

There are certain advantages resting with them. They have only 17 men—or rather 16, because a reserve wicketkeeper is in that number—from whom to select their test eleven. We have many more possible players —and in numbers there is confusion. Judging from what I have seen up to now, there will be no necessity for the Australian manager to send an S.O.S. home for a player or two. Together as Team The side looks 1o me well equipped, in the all-round sense. The players are also running into form. There are other advantages to a touring side. They get together as a team, whereas if we introduce a number of new players into the England side they will certainly not be a team, in the full sense, in the first test. With the 17 players at their command the Australian captain and his co-selectors are giving their men a rest roughly once in three matches. It will not have escaped notice that the Australian captain is nursing his fast bowlers, Ray Lindwall esoeciailv He can do this without undue risk because he has plenty of other good bowlers—spinners particularly. In contrast our men have to keep going, day after day. in county matches which may demand their bowling for long spells, or several spells. Consider the difference in the way Lindwall and Alex Bcdser were used in the Australians v. Surrey game. Our other pace bowlers—the men we need to get the Australians out—will have the same experience, “bowling their hearts out ” in match after match. If they remain fresh it will be a miracle. As against the 16 Australians from whom the team will be chosen, we have lots of possibles—so many that thev become almost an embarassment Here I may reply to many correspondents—from whom I like to hear of course—asking me to set down mv England team now. I’m not. doing it —yet. Rather let us wait for it; wait for more reliable evidence. For the moment, such evidence as we have only adds lo the confusion. Len Hutton started the season with

some small scores. That did not worry me. I did not cross him oiT. Len has run into form, as a player of his class was bound to do. It is so easy to manufacture problems, and goodness knows we have enough of them without making more. Captaincy Problem As yet neither Bill Edrich nor Denis Compton has threatened to get 1000 runs in this month of May. They are. still stand-bys in our minds, however—or should be. The men who are taking wickets are not necessarily England players. The conditions just now may suit their type of bowling specially, but those conditions may not obtain at Trent Bridge on June 10. I repeat, wait for it. Don't pick our team from day to day, otherwise men who ought to be in will be out. and men who should not be in will be there. What we have to do, at an earlier stage than naming our test eleven, is to find a captain. Even this question has been confused by Norman Yardley's lumbago. If the lumbago vanishes, and Yardley strikes his form, he is the obvious choice, but the captain must be worth his place in the side for sheer cricket ability. , , ~, I am not dropping Yardley,. but there are other amateurs who come up for consideration—Bill Edrich, for example. Is Experience Vital? It is said that Edrich lacks experience as a skipper. Without suggesting that experience is other than a valuable asset. I think it possible to over-estimate this point. Captains can always sift the advice of other 'experienced players on the side. Our best captains have always done so. The point about choosing a captain as early as possible is that the team of selectors is thereby strengthened. The selected captain can discuss likely players with them, and. believe me, ' selectors do listen to their appointed skipper. (World Copyright)