BIG PROGRAMME FOR CRICKETERS ON ENGLISH TOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18900, 26 October 1929, Page 27 (Supplement)

BIG PROGRAMME FOR CRICKETERS ON ENGLISH TOUR.

AUSTRALIANS WILL HAVE STRENUOUS TIME.

A programme of thirty-four matches for the Australian team in England was drawn up by Dr R. Macdonald and Mr R. Hi Mallett, the representatives of the Board of Control in England, and it was considered by the board recently. With the great number of matches now played in England each year the arrangement of a satisfactory programme becomes more and more difficult, and the difficulty is apparent in the list of matches that has been drawn up. The programme will impose a lot of travelling on the team, and there will be a good deal of dashing up and down England. However, the board has agreed to it, at the same time suggesting certain alterations which, it is hoped, will reduce to some extent the amount of travelling. It is suggested that the matches at Southampton and Cheltenham and at Liverpool and Northampton be transposed. The tour will end on September 12, but the team will have a fortnight in England after that, and the executive committee has been empowered to arrange unofficial matches in the North of Scotland during that fortnight. It has also been given power to limit the match at Edinburgh to two days.

It will be noted that two days’ rest is provided for the players before each of the tests. This is a concession that has frequently been advocated, and with the tests extended from three days to four days it has now been found possible to arrange it. The fifth test will be played to a finish if the rubber has not been decided by the results of the first four games. The board had asked that this match be played to a finish, irrespective of the results of the preceding games, but the Imperial Conference would not agree. The complete programme is as follow's:—

April 30, May 1 and 2—v. Worcester* shire, at Worcester. May 3, 5 and 6—v. Leicestershire, at Leicester. May 7, 8 and 9—v. Essex, at Leyton. May 10, 12 and 13—v. Yorkshire, at Bradford. May 14, 15 and 16—v. Lancashire, at Manchester. May 17, 19 and 20— v. M.C.C., at Lord's.

May 21. 22 and 23—v. Derbyshire, all Chesterfield. May 24, 26 and 27—v. Surrey, at The Oval. May 28, 29 and 30—v. Oxford University, at Oxford. May 31, June 2 and 3—v. Hampshire, at Southampton. June 4, 5 and 6—v. Middlesex, at Lord’s. June 7, 9 and 10—v. Cambridge University, at Cambridge. June 11 and 12—Rest. June 13, 14, 16 and 17—FIRST TEST, at Nottingham. June 18, 19 and 20—v. Surrej', at The Oval. June 21, 23 and 24—v. Lancashire, at Liverpool. June 25 and 26—Rest. June 27, 28, 30, and July I—SECOND TEST, at Lord’s. July 2, 3 and 4—v. Yorkshire, at Sheffield. July 5, 7 and B—v. Notts, at Nottingham. July 9 and 10—Rest. July 11, 12, 14 and 15—THIRD TEST, at Leeds. July 16 and 17—v. Scotland, at Glasgow. July 18, 19 and 21—v. Scotland, at Edinburgh. July 22 and 23—v. Durham, at Sunderland. July 24—Rest. July 25, 26, 28 and 29—FOURTH TEST, at Manchester. July 30 and 31—v. Somerset, at Taunton. August 2, 4 and s—v. Glamorgan, at Swansea. August 6, 7 and B—v. Warwickshire at Birmingham. August 9, 11 and 12—v. Northamptonshire, at Northampton. August 13 and 14—Rest. * August 16, etc.—FIFTH TEST, at The Oval. August 23, 25 and 26—v. Gloucestershire, at Cheltenham. August 27. 28 and 29—v. Kent, at Canterbury. August 30, September 1 and 2 v. Sussex, at Brighton. September 3, 4 and s—v. an English eleven, at Folkestone. September 6 and B—v. Club Cricket Conference. September 10, 11 and 12—v. Scarborough.

Before their departure the team will play Tasmania at Launceston on Match 8, and at Hobert on March 13, an d against West Australia at Perth on dates to be fixed. Tasmania is to guarantee £250 for the two matches and West Australia £350 for the match there. The Australians will also plav a one-day match against Cevlon at Colombo on the way to England