N.Z. TEAM DOUBTFUL

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1949, Page 5

N.Z. TEAM DOUBTFUL

( N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuter.

England Side Packed With Bowlers

Copyright) \

Eeceived Friday 8.50 p.jn. , SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, August 12. The New Zealand team for the fourth and last Test at the Oval will probably be announced shortly beiote j the game hegins. It is possible that \ it will he the same as that "which, i played at Old Trafford,. with one ex 1 ception: Cave may be replaced by either Cresswell or. Burke. It.is difficult to suggest which it may be: While Cave has tired as the tour progressed and has become less acciirate, both Cresswell and Burke recentk . ly howled well, Cresswell at Sheffield and Swansea and Burke at Nottinghani. Cdwie is expected to be fit; he has reniained in London instead of coming to Southend, to have treatment for his leg muscle. Rabone is also exjiected tp be right again and to have recovefetV from^strain 'to a waist muscle sulfefeil . while bowling medium pacers. If jit is not fit enough to bowl, however, Cave may be used and either Burke or Cresswell. • : . The New Zealand seleetors are epa fc'ronted by what may well be the UiQ'st difficult of all their tasks during .the tour. The faet that Hayes has been a passenger for over a month with a strained groin muscle has added to tho burdeu carried by the other bowlers, notably Cowie and Cave — a misfortutio for all concerned. Hayes. gave pj'oimsi at the beginning of the tour of develop: ing into a .most useful boxvler, but he never appeared to settle down to an accurate length, and then his injury oc curred. The team was virtually reduc ed to 14 men, and this faet togethe. with the continued dry weather added to the general strain. It has probably made some contribution to the rqpeni crop of injuries.

If neither Cowie nor Rabone is in the Test team it will be a greatly weak ened side. There is a risk of course/that their muscies may "go" again if they are included. It is one that the sdiee.tors will probably accept.

With this the background outiook for New Zealand in this final Test.is not quite so hright as it was in the others. Once again England have packed their side with bowlers in the . hope that their varied attaek can i?e-. move the New Zealanders twice in , three days and confident that the New Zealanders cannot return the • compiihient. As usuai much will depend on the piteh, and here advance reports vary. Some say the pitch is not being over prepared and will be 'sporting;' other.i that it will be equally as good as those at Headingley, Lords and Gi(i Trafford. It is thought that Hollies may not be used by England and that the 11, including Bedser, Laker and Wright, is the most "mature" and experienceu team that England can field. The odd.appear to be in England 's favour; b'ut if it is another draw we can expeet to hear further eriticisms by English cricket writers of "defensive" Xexv- Zealand tactics. 'There has, one feels, been a lot, of nonsense written in the English newspapers about the New Zealanders. They were criticised at Old Trafford for being defensive both in batting and bowling. Another way of looking at it was that New Zealand in their first inningt recovered from an indifferent start ano in the second innings scored more quickiy than did England, and that. their bowling and fielding were so .a-e-'curate and keen that only b'y takijig risks could the English batsmen score. This criticism .of New Zealand ifbi being defensi've is, one feels a general reflection of the English writers' suCprme and eoncern that England so far have been unable to beat JS'ew Zealand in three days. Before the first Test they were inclined to be patronising towaids their visitors whom they obviously fel't were so many Canterbury lambs fat for slaughter. ' - ' The Tests so far have proved othe^wise, the New Zealand batting being certainly efiicient as England 's . and their bowling with all its limitatidns, sufficient for the oceasion. Had the pitehes not been quite so "good" and had four intead of three days been allotted England would by now have probabiy won two of the Tests. Much of* the confused writing on the Tests arises from lack of appreciation of these two points, together with effort to bolster the previous underestiraation of the ab ility and spirit of this New > Zealand side.