AUSTRALIA’S TEST TEAM TO TOUR

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20422, 12 February 1938, Page 21 (Supplement)

AUSTRALIA’S TEST TEAM TO TOUR

Some Surprise Selections : l cry Youthful Team : Two of Best Players Omitted : Tourists are not Invincible : England ui Will Have Better Chance Than Many Think : Series IT ill m Be full of Interest : Who s Who Among Tourists ,■ pOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF AUSTRALIA'S TEST team to tour England the usual number of critics commented upon the team s chances and an unusual feature of the tone of the comment was the complete optimism in Australia's success. It is true that the team Is a very well-balanced, young side that may develop into a deadly combination, but I do not think that the Term “ Invincible ” which has been applied by several writers is at all justified. The optimistic tone, despite the general lament at the omission of Oldfield and Grimmet. is based on Australia's two successive clashes in the fight for the Ashes, England's showing against the New Zealand cricketers last summer and the undoubted wealth of first-class talent at present in Australia. I agree with these arguments but I also think that the standard of play in England—which has been in the doldrums for some time —is v|uickly on the improve and that the weather conditions will probably favour England. There is no doubt w!: itever that the English batsmen are much bettor on wet or rain affected wickets than the Australian batsmen and following last season's phenominallv dry summer many awkward wickets are sure to be experience.) d oing the coming lour. Then again I do not think that the younger English batsmen, many of whom will be playing for -• •• tgainst 11 ■ \ustralians will b< as frightened of the slow •bowling as their predecessors were as they have all learnt the lesson of the \alue of footwork. Summing up I would say that Australia will have a very strong team but I think that they will find that their task will not be as near as easy as manv believe.

Although the team that has been •elected is a very young side only four of the 16 have not represented Australia before. Bradman and McCabe will be making their third tour of England and Walker, Barnett, Brown, O'Reilly, Fleetwood-Smith and Chipperfield will go for the second time. McCormick and Fingleton visited South Africa in 1936-36 and Badcock and Ward appeared in Tests last season. The four new' players are Barnes, Hassett, Waite and White. Most adverse comment has come from the omission of Oldfield and Grimmett as the pair have proved themselves to be probably the greatest wicket-takers in Tests that Australia has ever had and they have also proved that they have not lost their form. Still there must come the time when these two stalwarts will have to retire and the time to do it is when Australia has such a fine array' of cricketers as Bradman, McCabe, O’Reilly and company to form the nucleus of the team. However, although the selectors picked a youngster in Grimmett’s place, F. A. Ward, they did not take advantage of the opportunity of putting D. Tallon in Oldfield’s place.

I The average of the players chosen in first-class matches this season up to the time of their selection are as 1 follows:

The Australians will play in Dublin and Belfast for the first time on this tour.

Tallon, In my opinion, is the unluckiest cricketer in Australia to-day, as he should have gone, as second to Barnett. He is a very promising batsman with sound and fluent strokes and the experience he would have gained would have been extremely valuable to Australia in later years. Two other colts who had excellent chances of selection were Rees Gregory and lan Lee and both must have narrowly missed. Their time will come, however. Gregory played some splendid innings against Allen’s Test team when it was in Australia and was regarded as a certainty but his form over the past few months has not been impressive. Lee, on the other hand, has shown very fine form, and he would have been my pick for opening batsman with Fingleton. Brown has not batted well this season and he and Fingleton, in my opinion will be too slow in Tests limited to four days. The risk of letting McCormick stand the strain of "all the fast bowling must have occurred to the selectors and they apparently think that under Bradman’s guidance he can do all that is necessary.

Still considered the best wicketkeeper in the world and the surprise omission from Australia's

The 16 players include only three who have reached 30 years of age. These are W. J. O'Reilly and A. G. Chipperfielt}, each 32, and E. L. McCormick, 31. As the three are at their best the team should be as lively and daring in the field as any Australians seen in England for many years—since the 1921 team, when Jack Gregory, “ Nip ” Pellew, Johnny Taylor, Tom Andrews, and other brilliants set the standard.

DONALD GEORGE BRADMAN (N.S. Wales, now playing with South Australia), aged 29. Toured England in 1930 and 1934. Scored 3170 runs at an average of 99.06 in 1930, and 2106 at 81.00 in 1934. The 99.06 and 81.00 are records for Australian teams in England. In Tests against England he has made 3406 runs at 89.63 and 12 centuries—all records for Australia. No man knows the limits to the possibilities of Bradman and his bat, or of his electric speed and ability in the field. As captain, he has handled awkward teams with much credit.

STANLEY JOSEPH McCABE (N.S. Wales), aged 27. Toured England in 1930 and 1934. Scored 1018 runs at 30.69 in 1930, and 2094 at 67.54 in 1934. In Tests against England he scored 1569 runs at 49.03, and made three centuries. Best all-round Australian cricketer of these times. At his top a very fascinating and robust batsman, master of all the strokes, and reminiscent of the star batsmen of earlier periods. Firstclass slip fieldsman and a finer bowler than achievements would imply. WILLIAM ALFRED BROWN (N.S. Wales, and now with Queensland), aged 25. Toured England in 1934, scoring 1392 runs at 37.62. In Tests against England has made 395 runs at 30.38. With J. IT. Fingleton was a marked success as opening batsman on the Australian tour in South Africa, 1935-6. Has played too defensively in the last two seasons, but is expected to revive his earlier stroke-making. A clever fieldsman.

JOHN HENRY FINGLETON (N.S. Wales), aged 29. Right-hand batsman of steady type. First visit to England though in South Africa in 1935-6 he was a striking success. Made centuries in four successive Tests (three against South Africa and one against England). In English Tests made 548 runs at 36.53 and two centuries (100 at Brisbane and 136 at Melbourne). A brilliant field anywhere, with a shooting return from in-field positions.

CLAYYEL LINDSAY BADCOCK (“JACK”) (Tasmania and now of South Australia), aged 23. Short and built on very solid lines, he has all the strokes and on true wickets may develop on Bradman lines. Made three centuries against the English team last season, 167 at .Perth, 182 at Sydney for combined teams and 118 in the fifth Test in Melbourne. Brilliant outfield with splendid fast return. His big innings include 274 for Tasmania and 325 for South Australia, both against Victoria.

SYDNEY BARNES (New South Wales) aged 21. Outstanding young batsman of his State. Played only once in Sheffield Shield matches prior to this season. Right-hand, strong in defence and powerful in attack, offdriving and cutting brilliantly and placing cleverly. Particularly able at the pinch. A fine field. Can keep wickets and also bowl slow breaks. Most promising batsman developed in New South Wales since S. J. McCabe first appeared.

FRANCIS ANTHONY WARD, formerly of Sydney, now with South Australia, aged 28. As slow bowler, one of the best seen in Australia for many years. Not so subtle in his attack as Grimmett was at his best, he nevertheless keeps a length, turns the ball from leg with nip, and also bowls a good bosie. In the Tests last season, he began well, but a severe blow on the nose front a fast ball in the Brisbane Test disabled him and threw him out of the groove for a time. Very useful batsman and fielder.

WILLIAM JOSEPH O'REILLY (New South Wales), aged 32. Best medium pace Australian bowler for some years. Keeps a perfect length, and mixes the pace and flight. He bowls a leg-break as a rule, but is also master of a deadly off-break (a bosie). Headed the bowling averages in 1934 in England, taking 118 wickets at 16.12 per wicket. Left-hand, hard-hitter, but only moderate as batsman—best at the pinch. ERNEST L. McCORMICK (Victoria): Fastest bowler in Australia r,r.d, c.ti his day, dangerous to any batsman. On the South African tour in 1935-6 secured 49 wickets at 18.59. In last season’s Tests against England captured 11 wickets at 30.47 a wicket. A fair field, and moderate left-hand batsman. May put on weight on tour and, if so, it should give him greater stamina. LESLIE O'BRIEN FLEETWOODSMITH (Victoria): Aged 27. lefthand slow-medium off-break bowler, with a very dangerous bosie. In England in 1934 was second to O'Reilly in the averages, taking 106

wickets at 19.80. Last season in the Adelaide 'lest he secured 6 for 110 in the second innings—a match-win-ning effort. EDWARD B. STEWART WHITE (New South Wales): Aged 24. Medium pace left-hand bowler of normal type. Well over six feet, very dangerous on a pitch that helps the ball. Keeps sound length and will improve •n tour with regular bowling. Safe field and sound batsman; best when runs are needed. Son of a former New South Wales batsman, A. B. S. White. Best performance is 8 for 31, and best score 108 not out, both against South Australia. ARTHUR GORDON CHIPPERFIELI) (New South Wales), aged 32. An all-rounder of real value to any touring side. Enterprising right-hand good-at-the-pinch batsman, better than most others on sticky pitches, a high-grade slip fieldsman, and useful slow leg-break bowler. In 1934 in England he scored 902 runs at 37.62 per innings. In South Africa tw*o years ago he finished third in the averages to Fingleton and Brown with 59.54 per innings. As fine a cricketer as he ever was. All the better for touring experience in England and South Africa. MERVYN GEORGE WAITE (South Australia), aged 27. Righthand medium-pace length bowler, manipulates the new ball nicely. Recently in Sydney kept a length on the off stump with a little off-spin. A very fair bowler without any particular guile. Has been in first-class cricket many years, and now at his best. A very fair batsman, and clever and consistent fieldsman.

BENJAMIN ARTHUR BARNETT (Victoria), aged 29. First-class wicket-keeper and fair left-hand batsman. Toured England in 1930, playing in 22 matches and scoring 573 runs at 33.70. In South Africa in 1935-36, he played in nine matches for the Australians, scoring 155 runs at 14.09 per innings. Has not yet' played for Australia in a Test.

A. LINDSAY HASSETT (Victoria). Sound, right-hand batsman, with crisp strokes on both sides, and strong defence. Short, neatly moulded, and very quick on his feet—not surpassed in the Victorian eleven as fieldsman. Topped 50 in seven successive innings against New South Wales, viz.: 51, 83, 71 n. 0., 58, 68, 81 and 57.

CHARLES WILLIAM WALKER (South Australia), aged 28. Firstclass wicket-keeper. Member of 1930 team in England. Played in 18 matches. Form as keeper not so impressive this season as it was a year or two earlier.

In. NO. H.S Ru ns Avr. D. G. Bradman . 13 2 240 1024 93.09 S. G. Barnes 14 2 127 815 67.91 A. L. Hassett ..... 8 1 127 453 64.71 J. H. FingJeton .. 12 1 160 587 53.36 CL. Badcock 14 1 132 593 45.61 s. J. McCain? 12 0 119 500 41.66 B. A. Barnett .... 10 4 83 194 32.33 M G. Waite 11 1 58 311 31.10 W A. Brown . . R 0 132 245 30.62 A. G. Chipperfield 13 1 67 319 : J.58 F. A. Ward li 5 41 150 25.00 E. S. White 11 4 52 171 24.42 c. S. Walker 13 2 30 169 15.41 w J. O’Reilly 10 1 20 96 10.66 K. L. McCormick 5 1 9 19 4.75 L. OB. F.-Smith 6 1 4 5 1.00 First-class Bowling 1937-8. Runs Wkta. Avp. 43 162 277 E. S. White 13 21.30 L. O’B. F.-Smith 972 34 28.58 E. L. McCormick 476 16 2912 A. G. Chipperfield 106 1 106.00