South African Cricket Team For Tour Of England

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1935, Page 12

South African Cricket Team For Tour Of England

CONSIDERABLE CHANGE SINCE VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

ACCORDING to the cablegram from Cape Town which announced the selection of the South African cricket team to visit England this year public opinion in South Africa is generally in accordance with the selectors’ views. The selection is, in fact, as much in agreement with expert forecasts of the composition of the side as cOuld bo expected. Opinions of the team’s prospects of success in England, however, are not so near unanimity. Some of the experts considered that South Africa had sufficient material • for the selection of a really strong team; others, while conceding that the oattmg in the middle of the innings was likely to be stronger than it had been for Some considerable time, were not wholly satisfied with the batting for English wickets, and in the attack they noticed the absence of a really fast bowler, the want of a really good left-hand bowler in addition to C. L. Vincent, and the comparative lack of experience in the right-hand slow bowling. At this distance it is impossible to assess the strength of the team with anv degree of confidence, especially as it differs considerably from that which visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1931-32 seaSCn. However, it is possible to n6te potentialities in the side if the new members of it adjust them-

selves fairly quickly to the change from South African wickets (many of which are still of matting) to English wickets The team which came to Australia and New Zealand three years ago numbered 16 players; that which is to go

to England this year consists of IS. Ot the team of 1931 " 32 _ N i H W. Taylor and P. McMillan have retired from first-class cricket; J. A. J. Christy is now coach to the Queensland Cricket Association; D. P. B. Morkel is in England (the South African Cncket Board decided that it wOuld not include in the team players now living in England); and S. H. Curnow, S. L. Biown, ] S. S. L. Steyn, and E. A. van der Merwe (reserve wicketkeeper) have been replaced. There are seven men in the side who will represent South Africa abroad for the first time, they being H. F. Wade (captain), A. D. Nourse. jun., E. A. R- J- Crisp, D. Tomlinson, AE. Langton, and R. J. Williams (reserve wicketkeeper). I. J. Siedle. of . Nata.. was a member of the South African team which visited England m1 929 ’ “ e was invited to be a member of the team which came to Australia and New Zealand but could not accept. Since then he has developed considerably as an opening batsman. It was known in some quarters tnai. H. B. Cameron, who captained tne 1931-32 team, would not feel at all aggrieved if he were relieved of the leadership of the team for England, but most cricket enthusiasts in South Africa thought that Cameron'S t captaincy would still be needed and that Wade, who captains Natal in Currie Cup matches, would be appointed vice-cap-tain. However, Cameron goes now as vice-captain as well as wicketkeeper and batsman. The only real note of surprise is struck by the omission of Curnow, but this player apparently has lost his excellent form of two or three seasons ago. But of the players who have not retired from first-class cricket the man who will be missed most is Christy, especially if such a bowler as Harold Larwdod is in opposition. Ths opening batsmen will probably be Siedle and either Wade or Rowan. R. H. CattOrall, who played for South Africa against England in four series of Tests, thinks that Rowan is good enough to make 2000 runs a Season in England—a feat never yet accomnlished by a South African. The other batting strength will come mainly frOm Dudley Nourse (son of the famous ‘Dave Nourse),, Dalton. Viljoen, Cameron, Mitchell, and Balaskas. Four of these players—Vilpoen, Mitchell, Balaskas. and Dalton—are all-rounders. The “shock” bowlers are Bell and Crisp, but neither is really fast, Crisp, a player of excellent physique, and apparently almost tireless, is the faster of the two. A young fellow, he has performed some excellent bowling feats in his own country in the past two or three seasons. Bell has been playing for some time in Rhodesia, ana has not been able to take part in much first-class cricket since his return from Australia, but is believed to be still in very good form. As the South Afn-

can Cricket Board has agreed that the team’s matches shall come into the experiment with the lbw law, m which bowlers may be able to get lbw decisions with balls pitched on the offside of the wicket—other requirements of the lbw rule will still have to be com- i plied with, of course—Bell’s breakback from the off should be more dangerous than before. Langton, who gives promise of developing into a good allrounder, also bowls a ball of some pace. Cyril Vincent, the left-hand bdwler of the team, is reported to have improved since his visit to Australia and New Zealand. He is expected to bowl with even more success on English wickets this year than he did in 1929. He can also make runs. The right-hand slow bowling will be provided chiefly by Tomlinson, Balaskas. and Mitchell. It is expected that Tomlinson will prove the best of them, if he can adjust his length to English wickets reasonably soon. However. Balaskas, who scored a century for

South Africa against New Zealand-a( Wellington three years ago, has made remarkable improvement in his bowling of late. Mitchell, who, as an opening batsman, scored a century against New Zealand at Christchurch, also seems to have improved his bowling, but nol to the same extent as Balaskas. The South African bowling is lacking a little in variety—it needs especially a really first-class spin bowler of true • medium pace—but, -apart from CriSp.. ■> there is plenty of excellent fielding. The cabled announcement of the team did not show the provinces from which the team is drawn. So the list of players is given again:— H. F. Wade (Natal), captain. H. B. Cameron (Transvaal), vicd-captaln. I. J. Siedle (Natal). A. D. Nourse, jun. (Natal). E. L. Dalton (Natal). R. J. Williams (Natal). E. A. Rowan (Transvaal). B. Mitchell (Transvaal). C. L. Vincent (Transvaal). A. E. Langton (Transvaal). » K. Viljoen (Orange Free State). D. X. Baiaskas (Western Province). ; R. J. Crisp (Western Province). A. J. Bell (Rhodesia). < D. Tomlinson (Rhodesia). ■ “