NOW OR NEVER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 548, 28 December 1928, Page 10

NOW OR NEVER

TO-MORROW at Melbourne the third cricket test of the 1928-1929 series, England v. Australia, begins. As circumstance lias dictated, it promises to be the most important of the five. If Australia loses this match, it loses the Ashes as well. The Australian team as announced contains a better blend of youth and experience than either of the first two test teams. T. J. E. Andrews, A’Beckett and Ron Oxenham are the newcomers to this series of tests, replacing Ponsford (who is injured) and Xothling. A’Beckett is only 21, with a command of length rarely seen in so youthful a player. He is a comparative new'■ouier to first class cricket, arjd a bowler of the McXamee type. He is also apparently a more than useful batsman. Hendry and Woodfull demonstrated at Sydney that Larwood, Geary and Co. are not super-men. Richardson, Kippax and Ryder have all shown in Sheffield Shield games that they are in form for big test scores. Hendry’s century in the second match, incidentally was his first seore of over 36 in seven test matches. The Australian batting, of which so much was expected lias so far been disappointing. The team which takes the field to-morrow should be capable of retrieving that lost reputation. The odds of course are bound to be on England to-morrow. And if she wins this Test, she retains the Ashes, clinched after a dramatic fifth test at the Oval in 1926. Australia failed inglorious!}- at Brisbane even allowing for the loss of Gregory and Kelleway. Her showing at Sydney was hardly less lamentable. To-morrow it is a case of “now or never.”