Test Changes Predicted

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 13

Test Changes Predicted

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY. Cricket writers yesterday predicted drastic changes in the Australian team after England’s overwhelming third test victory at Sydney.

Nearly all agreed that the crushing, innings and 98 runs defeat called for a soul-searching examination of Australia’s resources before the team is chosen for the fourth test, to be played at Ade-

laide, starting on January 28. “Sentiment must go out the window if Australia is to fight its way back into this Ashes series,” Phil Tresidder said in the Sydney “Daily Telegraph.”

Tresidder said the “ax"e should fall” on B. C. Booth and P. I. Philpott if the selectors are to do a thorough job in patching the badly beaten team. SIMPSON BACK?

Tresidder said he would expect the selectors to restore R. B. Simpson as opener and captain, but to retain G. Thomas at the expense of the out-of-form Booth. Under the headline, “Australia’s Achilles Heel Ruthlessly Exposed,” the cricket writer of “The Times” said: “Over the last four days Australia have been outplayed on every count and are now themselves being ‘rubbished.’ ” JARMAN FANCIED He tipped that Booth, Philpott or D. Sincock might be dropped for the fourth test and J. Martin, P. Allan, T. R. Vievers or I. Chappell might force their way into the team. He said B. A. Jarman might also be included in place of A. T. W. Grout because of his better batting. “This could be the start of a transitional period for Australian cricket and at these times a country is generally vunerable,” he added.

Only three Australians emerged from the Sydney debacle with credit, said Brian Chapman, in the “Daily Mirror.”

“They are Doug Walters as batsman, Neil Hawke as fast bowler and Wally Grout as stumper.” Walters won much praise for his batting and Sydney “Morning Herald” correspondent, Ray Robinson, suggested he should be hoisted much higher than sixth in future batting orders. Robinson said that Walters’s late arrival at the wicket in both third test innings denied Australia his full value.

Boycott Is Injured (N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) SYDNEY. G. Boycott, the England opening batsman, chipped his right index finger when he caught R. M. Cowper in the third test on Monday, an X-ray showed. Boycott did not field in the test’s concluding stages and has dropped out of the 12 whom the M.C.C. will take to Newcastle for the match against a Northern New South Wales XI, starting on Friday. The team is M. J. K. Smith (captain), R. W. Barber, D. J. Brown, J. H. Edrich, K. Higgs, B. R. Knight, J. D. F. Larter, J. T. Murray, P. H. Parfitt, W. E. Russell, F. J. Titmus.