NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1075, 12 September 1930, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

CRICKET will soon be with us again, in spite ol one football body which proposes to carry on into October. It should be an interesting season, because a Xew Zealand team is to go to England next year, and the form shown during the coming season will determine its selection. The larger wicket, at present used in England, is likely to be adopted in Xew Zealand for this season at any rate, in view of the trip to England. The report furnished to the Xew Zealand Cricket Council last season by the M.C.C. captain. Mr. A. 11. H. Gilligan. and two other prominent members of the team could not by any stretch of the imagination be termed a testimonial to the work of th> New Zealand selectors, in spite ol the tactful way in which the subject was handled. The most disquieting feature of the report was that whith strongly suggested (not in words, but by logical inference'', that the selectors either did not. or were not in a position to. give «« much consideration to men in the minor provinces as they should have done. There has been too great a tendency in Xew Zealand cricket to consider Wellington, Auckland. Christchurch and Dnuedin (and particularly Wellington) as the virtual limits of the selection of a Xew Zealand team. Occasionally, the New Zealand selectors have taken a man front the country for a Xew Zealand team on tour, but there is more than a suspicion that these selections were generally a shot in the dark, and the best man.was no* always picked. Apart front the question ol minor provincial men. the report also differed considerably in its estimate of the Dominion's best players from the Test sides chosen by the selectors. Certainly the Englishmen had a magnificent opportunity t*> review impartially all the available talent in Xew Zealand, but if the selectors are handicapped on this score, then the Xew Zealand Cricket Council should see to it that the fullest opportunity is given them to see as many as possible of the likely candidates for selection in action. Another point, too. is that the Englishmen do not see the almost alarming weakness in Xew Zealand's bowling strength which was officially referred to last season. But that may he because they mention outstanding bowlers who were not chosen for the Tests. It is not no much the batting and bowling in Xew Zealand teams that needs attention as it is the fielding. A vital weakness oi the Xew Zealand team in England in 1927 was its fielding, and the same story was repeated against the M.C.C. team last year. There has been too much of a tendency in recent years to elevate players for their batting who may be only mediocre in the field. Iveen and competent fielding should be one of the first essentials for the Xew Zealand team to visit England next season.