AUSTRALIA’S CRICKET RECORD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17729, 26 December 1925, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S CRICKET RECORD.

A leading English cricket critic recently stated in a summary of the prospects of the next series of tests that England would once again be handicapped by her lack of capable all-round players—men capable of making a century and taking four or five wickets in an innings in the same match. A retrospect of the test matches of the last thirty years, and a study of the score sheets, forces the conclusion that Australia owes much to her all-rounders (says a Melbourne writer). It is doubtful, indeed, if a team of “ specialists ” could beat a side chosen from the all-rounders, provided that all were at their prime at the time.

Australia has produced many brilliant players who excelled in one de- , partment only of the game. Among the batsmen the names of Hill, Trumper, Darling, Duff, Syd. Gregory, Lyons, Hansford, and B-ardsley come readily to mind. Of the bowlers, Jones, Howell, MTvibbin, Saunders, Cotter and Mailey can be readily recalled. No one in either of these lists could really be called an allrounder, though Howell, strangely enough, first got his chance through j his reputation as a batsman in the bush. It is more than thirty years since Spofforth, Turner, Boyle, Palmer, Murdoch and Blackham were in their prime, and each of them in his day was worthy of a place in the world’s best eleven. We shall consider only those players who were active forces in the game from the 1894-5 season onwards. A study of the analysis of Australian batting in Test matches reveals the fact that eleven men have scored 1000 or more in the big games, Clem Hill leading the way with 2220 runs at 35.46. Of the other ten Armstrong (2171), Giffen (1238), Macartney (1167) and Noble (1905) were bowlers of distinction, their totals of wickets being 74, 103, 29 and 115 respectively. Noble and Giffen achieved the distinction of making 1000 runs and taking 100 wickets in Tests. Only one Englishman, Wilfred Rhodes, has performed this feat, but if the great F. S. Jackson had appeared in Australia as well as in England he might possibly have joined the select trio. It is notable that of the nine Englishmen who have scored 1000 runs 1 in thests only Jackson, Woolley. Grace, and Rhodes can be regarded as bowlers, though Tom Hayward, who scored 1747 runs, also took twelve wickets at an average cost of 40.5. What a great eleven can be chosen ! from Australians who had the faculty of being specialists in every depart- i ment of the game. Here are some ; of them—Giffen, the two Trotts, Noble, Trumble, Armstrong, Jack Gregory, < Bruce, Macartney, C. M’Leod. Hor- ; dern. Hopkins, Kelleway, Ryder and ! Hendry, apart from the wicketkeepers. Australia has been remarkably fortunate in having a succession of wic- * ketkeepers who could make runs, t Here is the list from the start of the i international games: Blackham, Jar- 1 vis, Kelly, Carkeek (lor one tour), Car- ] ter and Oldfield. Each of these, ex- i cept Carkeek, was able to make runs, a and more than once their work with e the bat has decided the issue of a Test match. Tt is not easy to make t a choice for an all-round eleven be- c

tween Kelly, Carter and Oldfield, but , I have a leaning towards Carter, though Oldfield is a great man to have going in late. Now for the team, Gegrge Gififen, Noble, Harry Trott, Armstrong, Macartney, Trumble, Jack Gregory and the wicketkeeper make eight. For the remaining places there are such men available as Albert Trott, Charlie M’Leod, Bruce, Hopkins, Hordern, Kelleway, Rvder and Hendry, judging the I latter on his form this season. To leave four of these out is not easy, but Albert Trott must go in. Australia sustained a great loss when this great player was allowed to go to England. For the last two places I think I shall take H. V. Hordern, a real “ bosey ” bowler, who took thirty-two wickets in the one series of tests in which he played, and Kelleway. The last named is chosen on his form of a few years ago, when he was a much better player than he is to-day. Both he and M’Leod were never fast in the field, and that point must be taken into consideration. This would be a great side. It has no | tail,” and ten of them are bowlers, | with an ample variety, from Gregory, fast, to Harry Trott and Hordern, slow. In between there are Albert Trott, Noble, Trumble and Kelleway, of medium pace; Griffen and Armstrong, slightly slower; and Macartney, lefthand. Most of our greatest bowlers are in this list. The team then would be:— G. H. S. Trott (c.), G. Giffen, M. A. Noble, W. W. Armstrong, C. G. Macart- 1 ney, A. E. Trott, H. Trumble. J. M. Grefory, C. E. Kelleway, H. V. Hordern, 11. Carter. Of these Gregory, Macartney and Kelleway are still playing in big cricket. The figures of the others in Test matches may prove of interest. H. Trott, 921 runs at 21.92, 29 wickets at 35.13; Gillen, 1238 at 23.35, 103 at 27.09; Noble, 1905 at 30.72, 115 at 24.78; Armstrong, 2172 at 35.03, 74 at 30.91; Macartney, 1167 at 35.36, 29 at 23.89; A. E. Trott, 205 at 102.5, 9 at 21.33; Trimble, 838 at 19.95, 141 at 20.88; Hordern, 173 at 21.62, 32 at 24.37; Carter, 776 runs at 25.03. The team that leave for England in February will have a fair proportion of all-rounders in their ranks. If all goes well with them in the meantime, the members of the party who can both bat and bowl are likely to be Gregory, Ryder, Hendry, A. Richardson. Macartney, and perhaps Kelleway. Grimmett also has been batting well enough to earn the title of all-rounder. It is this versatility that may again sway the balance in our favour in the next series of Tests.