THE FIRST TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1928, Page 3

THE FIRST TEST

■COMMENCING ON FRIDAY

ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA.

The following is the Australian Test, team for the first match in Brisbane;— Ryder (Vie.), captain, Ponsford (Vic.), Wood full (Vic.), Hendry (Vie.), Ironmonger (Vic.), Kippax (N.R.W.'i, Bradman (N.S.W.), Gregory (N.S.W.), Kelleway (N.S.W.), Oldfield (X.S.W.), Oxenhani (Q.), Grimmett Cr.A.). Hendry will be twelfth man.

There were one or two -surprises in the selection, and the inclusion of Hendry and Ironmonger was a bit unexpected. Except for Ryder, Ironmonger and Kelleway, the fielding is first-class. The hatting is solid and should lie able \to hold its own with England’s bowlers. The bowling is of a good calibre, and at any- rate nothing will be given away to the batsmen. A lot lias been said about the strength of the English attack,' but there is a great doubt that it will prove any stronger than Australia’s. Ironmonger’s selection proved a knockout to local quidnuncs, hut it was said !hy Australian critics that the England batsmen did not play him too well. With Gregory, Kelleway, Grimmett, Ironmonger and Oxenhani to bowl, England’s batsmen will have to earn their runs. At the same time, there will have to be a renewed quest for bowling talent to fill the places of the veterans. Richardson’s omission was not looked for by the Australian critics, chioflv on account of his groat innings for South Australia against the tourists. .ENGLAND’S OUT-CRICK FT. Australian supporters should take heart from “Not Out’s” opinion of the English howlers in the ilia leh against New South Wales. Tate, did not fire them in with the old sting. He is not such a dangerous howler as in 102-1-25, hut is still a much hotter bowler than ho appeared on Saturday. Hammond looked easy on that wicket. Freeman was accurate, and turned thorn a hit from the leu. Larwood did not field owing to his left shoulder troubling him. Geary took his place, and fielded third si in. Antes kept wickets very neatly. The Englishmen were nippier in the field than the home team, and Chapman had nothing storeotvned in his leadership. ' INCISIVE COMMENT.

The following comments on the form of the leading players will prove of interest in view of the test matches. \s usual. “Not out.” of the “Deforce,” gels to the heart of thing-: Tin* Sydney crowds made the most of their chances of seeing the newer Englishmen in action against New South Wales. They turned out in (rrent numbers, and have become high. ]v impressed by the hatting strength of flu* visitors, the konnoxs of their fielding, and the tactics of their captain. But they arc not sure that, after all. England will he very much better with tlm had on attaek on good wickets than Australia; • The home team nlnyod with any amount of tenacity. but were up against it from the start. Jardine and 'Hammond are great batsmen. From the Australian standpoint the hatting of Kippax and Bradman was very interesting, and that of Kelleway as dour as ever.* JAB DINE A CHAMPION. From the point of view of England the outstanding feature in the match at Sydney was the masterly batting of .Lmiine, who is a type on his own. with very definite, though no great variety of strokes, in which he time 1 ' t|,r: hall with such uncommon nrc-is-ion' -that he makes lew “mis-cues,” and places very skilfullv. IRONMONGER’S GREAT BOWLING. The Victorian left-hander howled in great form against South Australia., and the “Referee” special correspondent remarks as follows: The feature of the day was the remarkable howling of the burly lefthander, IT. Ironmonger. Mis figure* were: JO overs. 0 maidens, lo runs. 5

wickets. He howled for long spells, and performed the .Marathon of howling unchanged .(with the rest for

lunch) from 11.30 a.m. to 3.37 p.m. His length was perfect, and his variation of length and pace was disconcerting. His stock bull is a medium pace ball oil the off’ stump, with plenty of spin. This spin causes the ball to make pace off the wicket. He also howls a slower one, hut not much .‘•lower, generally thrown fairly wide on the off. This one often turns ane boats the bat when batsmen jump out to drive it. Off one of these Richardson was slumped. Another ball is a faster one, straight through. Ironmonger 'bowled Hack, YYall and Pritchard with tliis type. GRIMM FTPS GRIT.

Referring to the Smith Australia v. England match, a Sydney writer savs: Once again Grimmett showed that h«' is a. batsman much above the tailend class. His 44 not out was an excellent innings. The harder the fight the better he hats. Placed about eighth on the hatting, he should be a wonderful acquisition to the Australian batting. Grimmett batted 133 minutes. His batting is moulded on elementary rules—a perfectly straight bat, and an ability to tell and play the good ones. But anything loose is seldom let off. His best stroke is the cover drive. ABOUT HAMMOND. YY. R. Hammond is the best allround cricketer in the world. His hatting and fielding are in the highest possible class, and his bowling much better than Australians had been led to ex|>ect, its main features being variations in pace and flight, while maintaining length and direction. Hammond made 225 in about 5 hours 25 minutes, and thirty 4’s and a 0. He, ',iio doubt, is the Trumper of English cricket to-day, hut this was in no sense a Trumper effort. A very fine innings, it revealed splendid defence and high-grade scoring strokes on each side of the wicket, with an occasional flashing drive or cut. These strokes revealed the powers of the batsman, and gave a .suggestion to all that he was playing with the curl) oil. He fell fittingly to brilliant outcricket. It is the first time an Englishman has topped 201) against Now South Wales.