Selectors Will Have Some Long Talks

Chronicle (Levin), 22 July 1949, Page 7

Selectors Will Have Some Long Talks

( N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuter.

Covuriaht)

. Received Thursday, 7 p.m. LONDON, July 20. One of the many things soon lea.rneci while aceompanying ' a 'tourihg,- crlckef team, is ' •' never .''fofeefiat 'J «'• for" ' the game is as full 6f H/ariatidns, moods and ■Hjontradictihns as" •- hhmaiV - •«5BEt%re.: Ilaving learned this, let me>be/ human ' artd suggest;'that ijhe;thir3 TesCht Old: 'Trafiford, Manchester, • may well •!>£"' ihe raost interesting of the^ £our played in -England this year'by thWNew '•ZealandArs. All rdepends,' 'of- coifrse,' on'the; weather. If these reeent thunder ;shows ers that brdught luuehMe^ded'r^m ' eon-; 1 tinue', and' Man'olieStef h;as ai'reputat'ion among ■ other ••thiagb" for. •' l. ''weather, •' ' the piteh may .be tricky "aiid the bo'wlers and fieldsihen' happy. If, .hoWever, the piteh is a little different from when New Zealand played Laneashire recently, we may have only two mammoth scores followed by a little more batting and bowling praetiee. Whatever the state of the piteh, however, the game will be followed with tremendous interest in England, not only on accoujit of the reputation the New Zealanders have established for tliemselves, but also beeause of the "new loolt" about the England side. Brown and his team may be able to sueceed where Mann and his men coulrt only draw. Who knows? • It is possible, though by no "hieans certain, that the New Zealand selectors may make a slight ttlteration .to . the team which played in the "first -tfrq Tests. Tlie feeent b'lossOming into form of lleid must oLviously be taken into aeeount though which batsman he would replace, it is not easy to prediet. It may .well' be .Smith who'se instiii.etive j -vslash- through the slips, thoug-h" often * jpfolife,; is • frequentiy fatal. There is little to ehoo^e between the two1 mei; in the field but lieid is. useful as a change paee bowler for a few overs'ancl as Old Traiford often, proyes suitable to paee bowlers,' he ihay be given his iirst Test chance. What of Bowlers? Whether there may be a ehange among the- bowlers is also unceftaiu. TJiere i&vone theory that Burke should be exclianged for Cave who has been a little erratic lately, but those who declare Burke "rolls" rather than "spinsr' the ball, believe he would be runs fov old rope to Hutton.and Compton. If he vvere a Merritt, he would undoubtodly be in the team, but those who declare tliey know, maint.ain that Burke eannot "iizt" the ball off the wieket as Merritt conld. . It.-is likely that both • lleid and Burke cause the. seleetors ' irrueh ^eara6str**^)nversa •tion in the next few days, kwl there •is quite a. possjbilitv that llwl will be in, Burk,%will|$e\r>iit and 8iufth will be :t\» elfth.^fn at M'^fiehester. l>Anot%| m that t-lje inclusion of lieifepi^M a^Burke 'si'chances bui in following it o.iie would be a little adventurous. It is certain Cowie and , Burtt will be the mainstay of the New ^ ZiteiM fi dSflwrwH rmr — >

' ;T .N . " Praisa /Cr Coivie. Cbwie- is now Wright ■ in form — and what a great lieart thefman has! In the bunung heat at Derby on the iinal day, he bowled better^an ever before on the tour but eouldfnot add to the two wiekets he had .^ken on the previous day. Bueh feajp never find their wny.intp Wisdeyi birtCthey are .jrevei reniembered byall wlio see tliem. Bnrtt, a trifle iiiie^ in ligure than when he left East,bqunie, with a eorn ou his spinning fingar, ean be expeeted to have further interesting duels with liutton and Compton whom tiie New Zealanders regard as the two best batsliien in England even though Compton by all accounts is out of form this season. liabone, who is being rapidlv joined by yuteliil'e as an all-rounder, seetns certain of inclusion again. He is the "find" of the tour and reached his peak as an offspinuer against Gloucester. Muchi Needed Spell. I ortunately the New Zealanders are Jiaving a three-day break before this third Test — and tliey need it. Continued fine weather, hard grounds and play six days out of seven, have. haturallv tired thern. But each mdii has r *• bo/iie a f airly'^qha-I hiatches, -tliere are .nb keribus'.ikpii^ical^ -stranif and all are fit. Yet if fine weather eon•■tiuue^^this appr^aclring sacon.d hali of may Up* ha^er- than " the first. T.here ;will be-nij m'o-fe'three'tlay breaks, and following the third Test, there will be stiff niatches with Yorkshire, Glamorgan and Warwickshire. After the l'ourth Test there will be Laneashire, -M idd lesex and two "unoflicial" tests against an England eleven at Hastings and Leveson Uower's eleven at Scarborough, and uiuclx long travelling. It is a tough programme and a little rair will be welconied now and again so that weary limbs and feet may be rested and minds relaxed. If the New Zealanders do as well in tlie remaining weeks of the tour as thev have in the preceding months, thev will have more than justiiied the reputation of being the greatest cricket team ever to have left the Doininion. If they don't — and tliere is no reason except physical fatigue why they sliouldn't — they Will still be a great and happ.y team„ J * * , : i • - , i » *i