THE NEXT TESTS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19142, 27 October 1927, Page 6

THE NEXT TESTS.

ENGLAND'S PROBABLE PLAYERS. VIEWS OF CANTERBURY'S NEW COACH. / [THE FREES Special Service.] WELLINGTON, October 2G. Whether England can retain "The Ashes" in the scries of Test matches to be pbyed in Australia next year all depends upon Tate and Larwood. If these two great bowlers can recover their best l'orni England should have a good chance of maintaining the cricket supremacy of the world.

The above view was expressed'by J. Newman, the famous Hampshire professional cricketer, who arrived bv It.M.S. Corinthic to act as conch to the Canterbury Cricket Association.

"Can Ehglatid'retnin the Ashes next vear?" he was asked.

"I. ain not too sure," he replied. "It has to be remembered that we will have to play this time on Australian wickets, and we arc not too strong in bowling.

• "It will all depend 11)1011 Tate and Larwood. Wo in England have observed that Tate's bowling lias gone off during the last tw'o seasons, in niy opinion, Tate has been asked to do too much. Sussex plays as many matches as any other county, and in addition Tate has had to play in all representative matches, such as Gentlemen v. Players and the trials.- Over and above this, he has gone abroad for the past three winters and has consequently played cricket, all the year round. What he wants is a winter rest, and if lie can get this he may regain his form ot three years ago, wlieu he was acknowledged to be the liest- bowler in the world. "Tate would also be a better bowler if he were not so tine a batsman, and if he expects to regain his best bowling form lie will have to be content with fewer runs than he has been making during the past two seasons. Considering the runs lie has scored, it is not to be wondered at that his bowling has lost a good deal of the fire and devil wliicji made it so deadly when the English team was last in Australia. "Larwood, who is unquestionably England's best fast bowler to-day, has been suffering from a strained back, but we arc hoping that he will have completely recovered from this disability by thc time the trip to Australia conies round. Tate and Larwood, fit and well, would mean a wonderful difference to the English side. "Mercer, of Glamorganshire, is another very fine bowler who should have an excellent chance of getting into the English team next year. Hobbs is still a great player, and if he elects to accept an invitation to visit Australia again will be one of the party. Hammond, of Gloucester, is another certainty. Never 111 the history of cricket has there been a better fieldsman. His an : ticipation is simply uncanny, and he is also a very useful bowler. "Other new men who may he seen on the English side next year are Ha - lows, of Lancashire, and Bowley, ot Sussex. There is no better slip fiekb;man in England than the .Susses player. Chapman, of Kent;, will be invited to captain the English team, and failing him tho position will be offered to E. R. Jardine, of s < irr who is one of the greatest amateur batsmen fit to rani with the test professionals. : Geary, of Leicestershire, is a verv good," fast wicket bowler, ana on tliis account may be included in the team for Australia." "Who will be the wicket-keeper i >• "B Lilley, of 1 Notts."; Newman re■pli edTv nd iQ.,. Brown,. of will go as reserve wicket-keeper. According to competent judges, Brown is the most versatile player in the game to-day. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-handed bowler and is good enough in either department to open for England against Australia in a Test match: In addition to this, he is a first-class wicket-keeper, and a really brilliant fieldsman in any position, hut a veritable wonder at midoff. Nicholls, of Essex, may be first choice as fast bowler if Larwood is not fit."

Newman was too modest to suggest that he also had a good chance of inclusion in the English team next year, but several of the party who arrived by the Corinthic voiced the opinion that the Hampshire all-rounder had been unlucky in not having been included before this.

"You can tell the public," added Newman, "that the New Zealand team created a most favourable impression in England. The public admired them for their style of play. They all believed that the bat was made to hit the ball'with, and their free style of batting greatly pleased the English crowds. When they became acclimatised tbev settled down into a really formidable side, as they proved at Scarborough, when they' clid splendidly against a strong English amateur side. You have in Merritt an international player of class."

"1 endorse that opinion," said L. C. Eastman,_ the Essex professional. "Tho best tiling about Merritt was that he was always readv to accept advice, and when he profited' by it, he did not get a swelled head, but came back asking for still more advice."