THE AUSTRAL ELEVEN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1384, 9 March 1912, Page 13

THE AUSTRAL ELEVEN.

AND WHAT THEY ARE FIT FOR. Barbour'i Omission the Blunder. Touching the present combination, tho selectors, to my inind, .have chosen ono bowler too many, nt the expense of the batting (writes "Not Out," in the Sydney "Referee"). It is otherwise a good selection, but would have been still better if E. P. Barbour had been made ono of tho certainties, and either D. Smith or S. J. Fcnnellyj or C. E. Dolling given the place now held by a bowler. One would not caro to say that any batsman in the party is superior (o Barbour. His omission is a Chinese puzzle .Moreover, iho has a remarkably Eafo pair of hands for catches. Of all the younger batsmen of Australia, 1 consider Barbour tho ablest; but as tho party now stands, I do not expect to hear of his being chosen in the vacancy caused by Clem Hill. D. Smith, the Victorian, has not been' ro successful, on the whole, as E. R. Mayne and C. E. Dolling. But ho is a typo of batsman this team could embrace with advantage; ho is a dasher, who might also becomo another J. J. Lyons, with the stimulus and practice of such a tour. Smith has not dono very much against New Soutli Wales, but has shown the possession of driving powers of a kind Australia at present needs—a man whoso cricket is in 'front of the wicket, and who doC3 not sacrifice off-driving for those gentle shot 9to the on-side. Besides, ho is a good out-field, and this team is not particularly strong in that direction; so that if Smith be chosen, he is likely to do credit to the team. Dr. C. E. Dolling is a different type of batsman from either E. P. Barbour or D. Smith. He is able to play either a hitting or n solid game, uses his feet well, has plenty of grit, and likes fast bowling. Thus far his cricket has playtt! a subordinate part to his studies, but, having taken his degree, tho tension is eased. He is not such a sound field as either Smith or Barbour; at least, that is a correct view based on his Sydney exploits, for he has missed catches here. Tho last place is sure to bo given to either D. Smith, E. P. Barbour, or C. E. Dolling, though there is still another batsman of the necessary dash in S. J. Fcnnelly, of Quensland, who is olso a brilliant field. He is moro liko Graham than any other player I have seen. But as fourteen players have been chosen, only one of the four I have named can be included. As that Dne, I prefer E. P. Barbour. One Bowler too Many. There are eight bowlers—M'Laren and R. B. Minnett, both fast, for tho latter is faster thau medium; Macartney and Whitty, two left-handers, and both likely to bowl successfully in England; ono medium pace right-hand in Kelloway, who is likely to bo a. much better bowler in England than ho is hero; Hazlitt, a slowmedium, flighty, with a good off-break; Emery, a bowler of all sorts; and Matthews, a slow-medium leg-break. If Emery could rely on length with his offbreak, and stick to that ball, with the faster straight one nnd the yorker, ho would bo another C. T. B. Turner—but length is not yet his strong point, though it is just possible that ho niny improvo in this direction on English wickets if he finds it less diliicult to inako tho ball nip across from the pitch thau it is here. M'Lareu is not nearly so fast as Colter is at his top, but ho is moro truly a bowler than Cotter; that is, while tho latter relics on sheer pace to got wickets,. M'Lareu has an undoubted swerve, a good length, and'a higher delivery than tho famous Glebo' bowler. If ho strikes form and physical iitness in England, he will probably perform with a good deal of success. In his first Test match here ho has not been seen at his best physically, and in tho early stages it showed in his fielding as in his bowling. There will .be only ono loft-hand batsman of note in the team, viz., W. Hardsley, though W. Carkeek will probably be found a much moro useful batsman than he was threo years ago. Tho second wicket-keeper, H. Webster, at present is not so reliable as A. Sims, of Rocklmnipton. But ho has greater possibilities than any of the others; and it ho improve, as' wo may reasonably expect him to do, on this tour, Australia will develop a topnotch player of the future. Those English wicket-keepers are so sure in taking the chances nnd in stumping batsmen, whether the ball comes to them on tho off or the leg, that unless tho Australian wicket-keeper." of this team keep in tho pink ol form and concentrate their attention on their work, they will not come up to the English standard, W. Carkeek, however, is a much better wicket-keeper than he appears to have been in England in 1909. B. J. Kortlang has bfcn mentioned as worthy of a place, lie is good enough, but in this team he does not appear to bo finite the type of batsman needed. A man with n wider variety of scoring strokes and with greater nunishins: powers is desirable on tlio side which embraces so many of the steady type of players. The same remark applies to J. A. Soilz, who is n very capable batsman and field.