CRICKET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16952, 6 February 1926, Page 12

CRICKET.

AUSTRALIAN SELECTORS’ OMISSIONS. EX-INTERXAT 1 ONALS REVIEW SIDE. The Australian files give prominence to the views of old international players on the team chosen to represent Australia on the tour to England. The consensus of the opinions expressed is that the selectors made serious omissions when they left out Kelleway, V. Richardson. Kippax, and Everett, hut there is no unanimity as to which should have gone in, and at whose expense tiro omissions might he rectified, if that were possible. M. A. Noble, former Australian captain, said a blunder was made when 12 men were selected so early. But that was over, and could not. he recalled. He was glad to see Woodfull in the team, as lie was a. young man, rapidly developing, and watched the ball well. Ellis was a good ’beeper, but a young man like Ratcliffe would have been a better selection, as he was a forcing batsman.

While it was extraordinary that Kelleway, on his performances, had been omitted, lie would sooner have seen V. Richardson or Kippax in before Kelleway. Australia had to look to the' future, and give its young men a training on English wickets. Noble thought it was certain that 16 men would be chosen, and that Everett would greatly strengthen the bowling. Ho strongly favored his inclusion. P. 0. Charlton, a former international, thought that A. Richardson’s selection was a good one, but bo would have liked to see V. Richardson and .Kippax in the team. Woodfull was too good a batsman to ever be a failure, lie said, but in a wet season be was sure Kippax would have been a better scorer. Kelleway should have been in the team before Ryder, as he was a better all-rounder. Kelleway probably was as good as Woodfull with tile bat, and into the bargain was a bowler. In his opinion the bowling strength of the team had not been looked after. H. Carter, ex-Australian wicketkeeper, was loth to pass-any criticisms on the selection, but he could not help remarking tlial i( was a calamity that Kippax bad been omitted. In the interests of future- Australian cricket it was almost imperative that this great young bastman and fieldsman should have been taken.

Carter thought- 16 men should be taken, as longer hours would be played on this tour than ever before. When asked to state bis views on Ellis’s selection as second wicket-keeper, Carter would say nothing. He concontented himself by saying he had his own opinion on the matter. Mr W. P. McElhone, president- of the N.S.W, Cricket Association, said he preferred not to criticise the selectors in any way; but in his personal capacity he thought that Kippax should have ißyi selected for the future of the game TtYatustralin.

'Mr T. W. Garrett, another famous international, said a- mistake had been made in selecting the original 12 players so early in the season. Some of the “originals” might now consider themselves very lucky, especially Ryder, Mailey, and Hendry. He believed the last three chosen —A. Richardson, Woodfull, and Ellis—justified their selection, but it was a great pity that Kippax and Everett were not in the team.

Under ordinary circumstances Air Barrett said he favored taking only 15 players, but in view of the position today he now certainly -believed that 16 should go, and that Everett should bo chosen. Gregory would need a lot of help to get through* the tour, and Everett would be the best support for him.

C. T. B. Turner is by no means optimistic about the chances of the team’s success in England. He does not think Collins will have an effective bowling battery to draw" upon. He was surprised that Kelleway was not- chosen, and the team should have included another bowler. He was surprised at inclusion /of Ellis and Woodfull as against- Love and another bowler.- Everett would bla a great relief for Gregory. In an ordinary English summer the present bowling strength did riot- look like getting the‘Englishmen out too cheaply. It was an unfortunate thing that Hendry and Ryder’ were in the team and Kippax out-. r Turner thought it a great pity that more young talent had not been given a chance. *' Ho would certainly have had Kippax arid V. Y r . Richardson in the team. “I3y no means a. strong bowling side,” he emphasised. QUIET CHAPS. AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN. NO WHISKY DRINKERS. EIGHT MARRIED. When the Australian team leaves those shores this month State boundaries will be forgotten. Amid the tumultuous chorus of strident, optimism there will be good wishes for each and every member. 5 But there will be some tears, too. Eight “cricket widows” will mourn the temporary loss of their husbands. Tho married members of the team are:—Mailey A. Richardson, Ryder, Hendry, Ellis, Ponsford, Grimmett, and Macartney. Apart from cricketing prowess, there aro two outstanding feature of the team. Practically all of them are quiet, unassuming fellows, and not one of them drinks whisky. Many arc teetotallers, while the others sometimes recklessly indulge in “bglit shandies,” with a long beer very occasionally. Many, also, arc non-smokers. Appropriately enough, the team is led by a quiet fellow. Hurbert Collins is a sphinx. lie doesn’t let bis right pad know what his left pad is doing. Born in 1089, Collins played inter-Stalo cricket before the war, but came properly into the limelight in 1918-19, when he successfully led the famous A.I.F. team. In his leisure moments th(< Australian skipper devotes himself lo music*. : He knows most of the 6poras, and is not unacquainted with jazz. , , , . Vice-captain Warren Bardslcy, aged 42, is a vegetarian ' who eats. meat. That is to say, he boasts of his vegetarianism, but unkiiicl members of the team say lie has been known to slink away lo attack a juicy steak when the others were not supposed to be looking. Bardslcy’s two bobbies are tho Saxophone and gardening. When ho was in the Justice Department he would spend most of his lunch hours

in the Botanic Gardens admiring shrubs and trees with unpronounceable names. He is now representative, of the worldfamous Duke and Sons’ cricket balls. JAZZING GREGORY.

Jack Gregory is 31. His howling, batting, and marvellous slip-fielding, make him one of the mo,st intffresting personalities on iho cricket field today. There is something of jazz in Gregory’s cricket and there* fore it is not strange that ho is a good (lancer. lie plays a long ball at golf, and is a good tennis player. When Arthur Mailey is not playing cricket or drawing sketches, he spends his lime. lishing or motoring. The googly 1 bowler is 37 years of age. Tn tho world of black and white, he worships two masters —Norman Lindsay end David Low. Low, lie regards as the greatest living newspaper cartoonist, and he-' is prepared on any occasion to eulogise Lindsay’s technique. Already Mailey has had three oilers from English newspaper syndicates to draw for them during the tour. Tommy Andrews, 36 years old. is a monumental mason. lie hopes to chip a. few more letters on the tombstone that covers the ashes of English cricket. Andrews is the best exponent in the oldfashioned waltz. He likes tennis —and cricket. A “HOME BIRD." Who first dubbed C. G. Macartney “the l Governor-General”? The mystery will probably never be solved. This dashing batsman was born in 1886. lie was formerly employed in the Railways Department, but is now associated with Oldfield in the latter’s sports business. Macartney is a “home bird.” Unassuming Johonny Taylor recently became a dentist. He will protect his own stumps and those of his colleagues during the tour. Taylor was born in 1895. He is tlm best tennis player of the team. Aged 32, Jack Ryder is a non smoker and teetotaller. If a match finishes early lie will go and practice, which habit, some barrackers will say, is necessary and commendable. He is well-liked by every cricketer. Ryder is a commercial traveller in .Melbourne. j Ponsford, the baby of the team, was born in 1900. He* is employ®! in the State Savings Bank, Melbourne. His bobby is his pipe. “G’liook” or -.“Stork” Ilondrv is assistant secretary to the Melbourne. Cricket Club, but lie. is better known here than in Victoria, for ho went- j south from N.S.W. not very . long ago. j He was recently married. Golf and | tennis are Iris hobbies. SON OF A PARSON. Woodfull is the son of a clergyman. - His father told him years ago- that j smoking was bad, so he doesn’t smoke. A quiet chap. Hu is a little? older than Ponsford. Jack Ellis is a master plumber who goes motoring when all the roofs and j taps have been, fixed. 110 calls a spade j a spade, and is not afraid lo use one. j Arthur Richardson, aged about 38, used to cornu down to Adelaide from tho country to play cricket, so he was called “Fanner.” The nickname has! stuck. Another quiet member of the j team. j Clarrie Grimmett is a sign-writer. I When ho Was in Melbourne be made a ! wicket in bis back yard and practised continuously. This year English newspapers will probably be hunting for a picture of that back yard.