CRICKET M.C.C. TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

Grey River Argus, 11 October 1948, Page 3

CRICKET M.C.C. TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

LONDON, Oct. 9 “Travelling hopefully,” was a comment made on the M.C.C. team when it left England for the South African tour this week. After the treatment England received at the Australians’ hands during the recent summer, forecasts on how the travellers 'will fare are cautious, but it is recalled that when the South Africans were he-e in 1947, England won three tests with the remaining two drawn. Both England and South Africa will have new captains for the tests. F. G Mann, of England, it is observed with personality and the quality of

leadership, has no previous experience as a test captain, while A. D. Nourse, who takes over from Alan Melville, was vice-captain during the South Africans’ tour in England. In addition' to Mann, England is sending S. C. Griffin (Sussex), C. H. Palmer and R. O. Jenkins (Worcester), R. T. Simpson (Notts), T. Hutton (Yorkshire), C, Washbrook (Lancashire), Denis Compton, and J. A. Young (Middlesex), T. O. Evans and D. V. P. Wright (Kent), A. V. Bedser (Surrey), C. Gladwin (Derby), J. F. Crapp (Gloucester), A. Watkins (Glamorgan), and M. F. Tremlett (Somerset). The tour will open at Cape Town on October 29 and end on March 15. The dates of the five tests are: Durban, December 18 to 20; Johnnesburg. December 27 to 30; Cape Town, January 1 to 5; Johnnesburg. February W to 16; Port Elizabeth, March 5 to 9. Having noted the success of the Australian fast bowlers against England, it is stated that the South Africans are earnestly searching for pace bowlers. So far they have found 19-year-old Allan McCarthy. who liver bn a poultry farm in Natal and has had a concrete wicket laid down for /ractice-