Two United Players In N.Z. Trial

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 44, 21 January 1949, Page 5

Two United Players In N.Z. Trial

Cricket

Two Whakatane cricket players have been selected to represent the Minor Associations against the Major Associations at Wellington this week-end, in the final trial match to select the New Zealand cricket team to tour England this year. They are W. J. McKenzie and I. Wyatt, both members of the United Cricket Club. Both players were selected for this game in the trial match at Hamilton earlier this month. Wyatt, who comes from Whangare';. has not been entered as from the Bay of Plenty but is under North Auckland. Well-known throughout the Bay of Plenty, for whom he has been a representative for several years, as an outstanding cricketer, McKenzie was recently selected as twelfth man for the Auckland Plunket Shield, team. He was promised a game against Canterbury but it never came about, and he was later dropped from the team without hitting a stroke for it. He is one of the best medium-fast bowlers in New Zealand and is also a good slip fielder and opening bat. His ’chances of being selected are thought to be particularly bright. Wyatt represented Auckland in the plunket shield team last year. He is a batsman of top New Zealand class. He has not been in the Bay of Plenty very long, but has a high reputation in other cricket centres.

From this Wellington game a New Zealand team will be selected to play the Rest at Christchurch, and it is from .that match that the final selections will probably be made. The team is due to sail in February.