CRICKET.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16815, 5 June 1926, Page 21 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

ENQLAND.

(By Cover Point.)

Two very interesting matches arc due to commence to-day. At Bradford the Australians will meet Yorkshire, winners of the championship for the last four seasons. On this occasions the county will he considerably weakened by the absence of their two leading batsmen, Holmes and Sutcliffe, and their two leading bowlers, Macaulay and Kiincr, so that the visitors’ task will be less difficult. Ilian it would otherwise have been. Yorkshire have met tho Australians on 36 occasions, losing 15, winning 5, and drawing 16. In 1021 two matches were played, the Bradford match being drawn. The wicket was good on the first day, but rain falling during the night it remained slow Hie rest of the game. After losing 5 for 82 the Australians made 2 63, Gregory making a clianceless 104 not out in two hours and a-half. Yorkshire replied with 224 (Rtiodcs 63, Sutcliffe 45) and in their second innings the Australians had lost three for 77 when stumps were drawn. The English Selection Committee have announced their first team, to play against the Best at Lord’s today Of the selected eleven Hobbs, Woolley, Hendren and Strudwick have appeared in tests in both countries, and Chapman, Tate, Sutcliffe and Kilner in Australia, while Carr, Allen, and Macaulay have not played in a Test. According to ihe _ cables the only surprise is the selection of G. O. Mien, but it is interesting to note that in 1924 P. F. Warner, one of the present selectors, wrote of him : _ 'I consider him the most promising young howler in England, and like Hammond, shall expect him to be in the England XI. in 1926.” Hammond, apparontlv, lias not caught the selectors’ eye at all. 110 is not in either icam, nor was he in the South of England Eleven. Allen was born in Sydney on July 31, i 902, but lie left Australia when a boy of 6 'and all his cricket lias been learnt in England. At Eton and Cambridge he was always prominent, and winning his Blue as a Freshman in 1922, lie took nine wickets for 7S in that year’s 'Varsity match, lie is a fastmedium howler, sturdily' built, and comes quickly off the pilch, lor the Gentlemen against the Players last year he'made 130 at the Oval, and .11 and 52 not out at Lord’s, so that I c is a real all-rounder. Ever since it was made manifest that Tale was overworked in Australia, Macaulay has been recognised by practically all Ihc critics as his assistant for 1926. The Yorkshircman, who was a bank clerk before he took up the game professionally, is a bowler much after Tate’s style. _ Ho lias been the mainstay of the Yorkshire attack for some years now, but was kept out of big cricket by that curious thing called “temperament. ’ Apparently he has mended his ways in Ibis direction, for we bear nothing about it nowadays. He is quite a good bat, and lias made hundreds for his county., but ho seems to be devoting all bis attention to his bowling at present, probably wisely. In view of his phenomenal record last year Holmes must be regarded as unlucky, but it is doubtful whom lie could replace. It would be heresy of course to sgggcst Chapman, but although lie has done well with the hat this year and is a brilliant field, I would prefer the sounder Yorkshircman. Harwood is a young and promising fast bowler from Notts, who If lie keeps on as lie is going will lie in a Test team some day. PREPARING FOR THE TESTS. AUSTRALIA v. ENGLAND. Before the first lest match at Nottingham on .1 uno 12 the Australians have yet to play the following games: June 5, x'. Yorkshire., at Bradford. June i), v. Durham, at Sunderland. When these matches have been played ail prospective lest match players will have conic tinder the noiioo of the English selectors. Tho match against Durham is only a twodays’ fixture, and leaves the Australians a clear day before, ihc lest, match. 'Phis concession was demanded before the Australians sailed. Test “Certainties.” The taci (hat Hie English selectors who chose I lie siouth of England team did not think it necessary to call on

J. B. Hobbs, P. E. Woolley, and M. W, Tate makes one immediately! conclude that they are “certainties” for the ilrst test match. All three arc great players, and were in Australia with the last English team. They were three outstanding members of that side, and there is no doubt that Sutcliffe,, who created so many new test match records during the last tour of Australia, can also be classed with these three players.

P. P. Warner, one of the English selectors, in an article at the end of last season, favoured the claims of (:. T. S. Stevens as a test match player. Stevens lias done well against I lie Australians on the present tour, and it is significant that, ,1. B. Hobbs, last February, writing in (lie Cricketer, says: “Stevens is one of those ‘funny’ bowlers l would never mind having on my side, tie is what I call a ‘lucky’ cricketer. As a bowler he is always likely to get a wicket with a freak ball, and as a batsman he is hard to get out. Mottling worries or upsets him, as tic possesses the right temperament." In the same article Hobbs says that if Stevens were passed over the claims of another amateur, V. W. C. Jupp, must be considered. Jupp is a medium fast bowler, with an off break, and is a good, solid bat. Hobbs considers A. W. Carr, who has been selected to captain England, to bo the most improved cricketer in England.