THE ENGLISH TEAM.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1924, Page 4

THE ENGLISH TEAM.

ITS ST liK NO Til DISCUSSED. j (lly 1.. 0. S. Poidevin in the Sydney ” Herald”). The twentieth English team now on its way to Australia comes with excellent cricket credentials and brilliant testimonials in the way of “ lioitte ” performances. During the past seasson in England the majority of the players bad a highly smeessful season; indeed, the cables -have given an almost continuous recital of their big batting achievements and sustained successes with the ball. Authorities in England are in almost complete agreement as to the team having been selected in accordance with recent form and that it represents all that is best in English cricket to-day. It is worth while lingering over this “form” as represented by the figures of Inst season’s lirst-class cricket in England. Eire of the batsmen, for instance, have aggregated over “000 runs tor the sea-

son. Woolley (2:1 II), Sutcliffe (“1 12), llendren (iMOO.t, llobbs (“()!)I), and .Saiidluim (20K2), whilst three others have reached four figure aggregate,

Why sti II (IS.‘>2), 1 lea me MAOS), and Tate ; 1110). Two other batxl)lon of the side' liiVilli and Chapman, have only failed to do so heeitu.se they have not played regularly in county cricket. It may seem odd that 'late should he placed so prominently amongst the batsmen of the party, hut it should he mentioned in explanation that regularly since 101!) Tate has made over 1000 runs each season ill lirst-class cricket, or ait aggregate ot "111 runs, with 21 ill as his highest score. Such figures must evidence the possesion of no mean hatting skill. In the mallei

uf averages last season Sandham leads with AO.IS, hut is closely followed by Hobbs AS. 1(1, I leiidren AO.7A, Woolley 10.57, Sutcliffe IS.OS. \) liysall Kb.lo, lloarne 10.7 A per inning-. These are tremendous ligttres. it must be admitted, compiled in a season "Wet above the average.” No fewer that seven of the bowlers led by Tale •’JOA wickets) captured “over tin 1 hundred wick-

ets during the season, llowoll, Lilligan, Douglas, Kiluer, l•'rcem.'!u. and Tyldesley, whilst lloarne and Woolley narrowly missed with 01 ami s l wickets respectively. In the previous season (102.'!) all nine bowlers mentioned captured over HID wickets, lute (_I0),

Gilliam i.l(IH), Kilncr (!•'>>). (I ."> 7), Howell I’)-.), Douglas ■ 1 •!(>), I vldesley (I 111 . I lea rue < I l.’i). anil Wool lev (I'll', ill aveiage- ranging Hum I| i tins per ui< l.et. by I\ 111 m* r. I" l.| J; it hi :r> jut wicket hi Douglas. So iniuli for tlie figures; they eerI:»iillv look formidable enough, and inilieative of great strength, hut success in Australia, us lius often heeli jirovetl, lines mil always work out alone; the same lines as in English erickot. GII.LIGAX, TIIIO (’ATTAIN*. The English captain, who has not vet had any Australian experience, considers that his team is thoroughly re|iresentiitivc of Englsli cricket, and if it is defeated there can he no excuses mi that account. Tie appears to he a very winning personality, a great asset to a touring side, ami moreover, he is iin optimist, lie expects to win' the laurels for Kurland. Wo admire that spirit. If he succeeds, as well he might, Australians will he the fust to applaud his ■courage and skill. It is a big task, however, that lies before him, and Douglas, who has experienced hotli success and failure in Australia, speaks wisely when he says ol the team that everything depends upon whether, under Australians conditions as to light, wicket, etc., they are able to reproduce the “form” they showed at home.

Though not suHiciently recognised excejtt by the few, the compniison suggested by Douglas between Englidi playing conditions and those to be found in Australia, is a very definite one of much greater imjiortiince than might appear tit first sight. Ksjiecially is this so in regard to the wickets and the atmosphere. Here, as a general rule, the wickets play very last, much faster than in England; .the bounce of the ball is absolutely true and uniform, and the amount of “ break ” obtainable as a result ol imparted spin is a. minimum. The atmosphere is usually clear and bright, and the light perfect, in definite contrast with the dull, heavy atmosphere usually encountered in England. Eel us apply this contrast first of till to the batsmanship. Everything points to Australian conditions making for a batsman's paradise, and naturally, in such circumstances, it might reasonably be expected that all batsmen would show to greater advantage in Australia than elsewhere. Experience, however, has proved this expectation to be abundantly fallacious, and batting failures have cropped up in the past in most unexpected places. In many of these, no doubt, the “ pace ” of the pitch has boon a determining factor but not perhaps in the nay that one might think. It is not the “ pace ” of the wicket jier se that worries the visiting batsman. The truth is that the English-made batsman, as a rule, bases his batsmanship on a different foundation from ours. The pitches he has been used to and has developed his game upon are uniformly slower than ours, the ball is easily made to “ turn ” iijKin them and the uniformity of its bounce cannot be relied upon. To lie safe in defence the batsman watches the ball almost right on to the bat. He plays back, therefore. in defence, retiring in doing so

to a position very close to the stumps, which gives him more time to see the hall and watch its break and rise front the pitch—where we on our pitches would habitually play forward, or meet the ball without retreating behind the flatting crease, since the “ break, ’ except in slow bowling, is practically negligible, and the rise off the pitch to "be trusted absolutly. The visitors’ scoring strokes, too, are built up on this foundation of back play in defence. This method of defence and these scoring methods require to lie readjusted to fit in properly with the extra pace of the Australian pitches, and it sometimes takes much time and experience

and a power of application to successfully make this readjustment. AUSTRAUAN EXPERIENCE.

Tt is something in favour of the hatting strength of this team, perhaps, that four of the “ star ” batsmen, Hobbs, Woolley, Hoarno, anti Ilemlren, have had ample experience of our wickets and conditions. “Jlicit ’’ Hobbs, of enurse, is the greatest batsnian of the party, the maker of more centuries in first class cricket than any batsman, except Dr W. G. Grace. Last season with an innings of 2011 not out against Nottingham for Surrey he surpassed the number (101) made by Toll! Hayward, and as he subsequently made a double century against the South Africans in a test match ids " form ” would appear to be as magnificent as ever. Statistical interest will increase as time goes on as the Surrey crack gradually approaches the record of 12(1 centuries standing to the credit of “ W.G.,” and probably during this lour, since his powers arcsaid to lie still unimpaired, though in his l-Jncl year, he will take the lead j amongst the makers of test-match cen- ! turios in the Hngland-Australiii series —he has ali'eady lnado six. lie lias made over 11000 runs* in test cricket, lS2d of them against Australia, at an average of oII.OT per innings. This outstanding ability is well-known and recognised in Australia, and the belated news that he was coming with the team was, perhaps, the most welcome item to Australian enthusiasts in the

whole of its selection. I’. Woolley tins season ill England is alleged to have played the best cricket of Ill’s earner, lie is a delightful batsman to watch, tall graceful, very powerful on the oil-drive, well suited by and well accustomed to Australian wickets, “.lack” Ilciirlte, as a batsmail, is always a great performer, more sedate and careful than Woolley in bis methods, addicted to oil-side play, but one of the best against fast bowling. “ Patsy” llendren, the other one ol the experienced quartet, is a very attractive mixture of solidity and aggression. lie gave some line displays last time, but was not so consistently good its was anticipated. Personally, I think be will have benefited greatly by his previous experience and should this lime achieve great successes. These four players represent the nucleus of I lie batting strength of the side. Of the other batsmen of the team who have been to Australia a good deal will lie expected of Chapman, whose success with tin* bat will mean a lot io the English side, because it will keep

him in the test eleven, where bis magnificent Holding will lie such a valuable asset. He is not ot the type ustiallv most successful In “big” cricket in Australia, where freedom trom mistakes in batting is the keynote to unalloyed success, but lit* is such an attractive player to watch and such

nil interesting personality that bis suc-

cess would be verv welcome. I lien, ol the “old bands” there is Douglas, hard-working, couragous batsman, but a real lighter, who otteu gels more runs than he appears to be worth. His “duels” with Mailey are an outstanding memory of the last tour—and the” honours afe with the batsman, since tilt* ofteuer they met- the more success did lie command. "When all is said and written, however, much will depend upon the measure of success achieved bv the men new to Australia.

Saiidluim, Sutclille. \\ liysall, and .M' Bryan in particular. These newcomers all have the very host of performances to recommend them, but it will all depend upon the manner in which they readjust their batting skill Io our conditions.