EVENLY MATCHED

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 124, 22 November 1932, Page 9

EVENLY MATCHED

TEAMS FOR THE TEST

QUESTION OF SELECTION

(Written for "The Post" by-Arthur Mailey.) While it is more or less difficult to come to any satisfactory decision regarding the relative strength of^ the opposing teams before either is finally chosen, it is interesting to make comparisons between players likely to be chosen in the fii-st Test. With the exception of perhaps one man, the Australian team is not so difficult to pick as the English team. For instance, I would suggest that Woodfull," Ponsfold, Bradman, Kippax, McCabe, Oldfiold, Grinimett, ■ Wall, O'Reilly, and Ironmonger are chosen, and that Richardson, Singleton, Darling, Fleetwood-Smith, or Alexander are serious candidates for the eleventh position. / The certainties of the English team appear to be Jardine, Hammond, Sutcliffe, Pataudi, Leyland, Larwood, and Duckworth. This leaves- positions for four players, and there are ten applications for, the positions. The choice will probably fall on Verity, Voce, Allen, and Brown. Australia's first five batsmen have splendid Test records, but I doubt if they are better than those of the first five-Englishmen. Bradman has an averago of 103, Woodfull 54, Pousford 40, Kippax 38, and McCabe 35. Ou the other hand, Sutcliffo has a Test match average ot 73, Hammond 71, Leyland 58, ■ and Jardine 42, which compares more than favourably with the first four Australian batsmen, despite Bradraan'a average. , * The combined average" of the first four Englishmen is CO and that of Australia 58. Of course, we cannot altogether depend on past figures, but all these batsmen are/batting up to their reputations and should at least keep up their averages. PACE v. GUILE. The bowling strength on both sides is interesting, England having a battery of fast bowlers' which are much better than ours; but Australia's second line of attack is superior to that uiidor Jardine. I do not think we have three pace bowlers in Australia the equal of Larwood, Allen, and Voce. Against tliat, Grimmett, Ironmonger, and perhaps O'Reilly are a better trio of slow bowlers than the English caii put iv the field. Brown, Verity, Voce, and Larwood, I think, are better batsmen than O'Reilly, Ironmonger, Grimmnft, and Wall. Consequently the all-round strength of England seems to be superior. Both teams, I am afraid, arc not up to the Test match standard in the field. There are, however, one or two bright