AUSTRALIAN INTEREST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19632, 28 October 1933, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN INTEREST

TEAM FOR ENGLAND For the' first time for three seasons there will be no visit to Australia of a cricket team from overseas this summer. Apart from the keen rivalry usually associated with the Sheffield Shield competition—when not overshadowed by Test matches—individual performances of players will be closely scrutinised in view of the departure of the Australian team for England in March next. Although a few players will be certain of a place even if they have a lapse of form in the Shield games, individual performances in these contests will undoubtedly influence the selection of the Australian team (states a Melbourne writer). The form of young batsmen such as Darling, Bromley, O'Brien, Rigg, Fingleton, and Nitschke; of all-rounders such as Fleet-wood-Smith, will be closely scanned. There will be keen interest as to the ability of players such as Grimmett, Kippax, and Ponsford to regain a place in the team; whether Oldfield will be able to maintain his form, and if so, will his understudy be Walker or Barnett? Will a place be found for Ironmonger? Such speculations as these are likely to be rife before long. Although cricket selections have furnished almost as many surprises as political elections, and one, therefore, cannot be too sure, it would seem fairly safe to prophesy that the “certainties”

are Woodfull, Bradman, O'Reilly, and perhaps, Wall. The first-class matches will be:— Sheffield Shield November 3-7—Victoria v. South Australia, at Adelaide; Queensland v. New South Wales, at Brisbane. December 1-s—Queensland v. Victoria, at Brisbane. December 15-19—South Australia v. New South Wales, at Adelaide; Victoria v. Queensland, at Melbourne. December 22-26 —South Australia v. Queensland, at Adelaide. December 22-27—Victoria v. New South Wales, at Melbourne. December 29-January 2—Victoria v. South Australia, at Melbourne. December 30-January 3—New South Wales v. Queensland, at Sydney. January 5-9—New South Wales v. South Australia, at Sydney. January 12-16—New South Wales v. South Australia, at Brisbane. January 26-30—New South Wales v. Victoria, at Sydney. Testimonial November 17-21—Blackie and Ironmonger Testimonial match, at Melbourne. November 24-28—Collins, Andrews, and Kelleway Testimonial match, at Sydney.