STRONG BATTING SIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26792, 8 June 1948, Page 5

STRONG BATTING SIDE

ABSENCE OF LEFT-HANDER A DISADVANTAGE Rec. 11 p.m. LONDON, June 7. The English selectors have forsworn experiments in the 12 men from whom the team for the first test at Nottingham will be chosen, says the Australian Associated Press cricket correspondent. Every man has played test cricket against either Australia, the West Indies or South Africa. Evans (27) is the youngest man in the side. England has mustered a strong batting side and the team which wins the toss should make many runs on the. traditionally easy Trentbridge wicket England selectors will probably omit from the 12 chosen, either the lefthand bowler Young, or the right-hand off-spinner Laker. Neither had encouraging results from their efforts against Australia this season. .Young took four for 147 at Lord’s when the Australians defeated the M.C.C., and Laker took one for 137 and three for 127 for Surrey and M.C.C. respectively. Young is the more likely choice for the test. _ Five of the chosen batsmen—Compton, Hardstaff. Yardley, Edrich and Hutton—have fallen to the Australian shock bowlers, Lindwall and Miller, for moderate scores in the matches so far played. The cricket correspondent of The Times says that Yardley’s recent recovery of form happily solved what doubt there can ever have been concerning the captaincy of the England team for the first test. (Yardley made a fine 90 at the week-end for Yorkshire against Middlesex). The correspondent adds that the side’s batting strength speaks for itself although the absence of a left-hander is a weakness.