CRICKET TEAM FOR ENGLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1931, Page 2

CRICKET TEAM FOR ENGLAND

A SUGGESTED ELEVEN.

BOWLERS WILL BE HARD

TO CHOOSE,

(Christchurch “Times.”)

Now that four of the six games in the Plunket Shield series are over it is even more apparent that before that the task of the New Zealand cricket selectors-in choosing the team to tour England this season will be difficult. The Shield matches have brought many aspects to light, and none of them point to a clear, open way for the selectors.

It may seem paradoxical to state that the play has revealed a wealth of talent to choose from and yet leaves those responsible for picking the team in a hard position, but that is the ease.

First and foremost, there Is abundant batting talent. Canterbury cricket enthusiasts have not , seen Otago play yet, but it is apparent that even from the Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury sides a very high class hatting side could be selected.' From the reports, it seems that Blunt is the only Otago man who will have any claim for selection. Lemin has shown good form with the ball, but not sufficient to win him a place.

DEARTH OF BOWLERS. The great dearth is in good class stock bowlers. there are many men who have bowled well in the Shield games, yet most of them are m the all rounder class, and the stock bowler have not, as a whole, impressed as being up to international .standard. The pair who have shown to best advantage on Lancaster Park are Cleverly and Blundell. Cleverly is. the nearest approach (bar Dickinson, who has failed to show form so far this season), to an express bowler in the country, and he proved against Canterbury that there is plenty of sting in his deliveries even though his length is not above criticism, and, also, he has shown that he can .send down over after over without going to pieces. Blundell, on the other hand, does not develop the same pace, but he si far more accurate, and sends them down on the spot for a long while without letting up ill accuracy, and he works them across the wicket in a way that spells disaster for the man who “nibbles* tit ah off ball* The \va yhe bmvicd Kerr in both innings of the Wellington match shows that he has the ability to turn on the danger’ oils ball when he wills,

With the exception of Merritt, who can be written off as a certainty after his accurate trundling against Welling ton, all the other bowlers of the required class are all rounders. Blunt the other googlv expert, is primarily, a batsman .Warwick Armstrong described him, before the last English tour, as “a man to ‘keep up your sleeve’ as far as bowling is concerned.” In any case, Blunt’s batting capabilities, .es-.’ pecially as he is in form this year cannot be overlooked. The team will depend on Merritt and Blunt, on the English pitches', which are more adapted for slow bowling, for a lot of wickets.

THE BATSMEN

There are many batsmen to be considered. First, there is the certainty of Lowry being captain of the side. Many hold that Page is as good a skipper, but Lowry has had even more experience than Page, especially in England. On the last tour he showed, what an asset his leadership was. Dempster has not been in his best form so far in Shield games ,but he must be selected as an opening bat. He is an ideal man for such a tour, and cannot but return to form. Hamilton, of Canterbury, is a good left hander, but the choice falls on those enterprising Auck landers, Mills and the youthful Vivian ns the left-handers for the tour.

GOOD ALL-ROUNDERS.

There are several good all-rounders in the Canterbury eleven who have qualified for selection. Roberts and Kerr have performances as batsmen alone, and of the two Kerr impresses as the better bat, even 'though lie failed in both innings against Wellington. His performances during the season have been above reproach, and be is a splendid type to send to England, making runs soundly and with beautiful cricket. Roberts, a great man when set, is never safe till lie has been in at least half an hour.

Talbot, wit hliis Shield performances has advanced a strong claim to a place in the side. A great bat, lie tends to score rapidly and has any amount ot enterprise, though he lias shown ibis season that lie can play well on the defensive when his side requires it. He lias also bowled steadily for Canterbury in both -Shield matches, and is a splendid field in any position. •Though his batting in the Auckland match was not impressive, Cromb’s run-making against Wellington showed that he can collect them in fine style, safe yet enterprising, against the best of bowling. Also, lie has bowled with much improved length and accuracy,

and taken a good many wickets: In the Wellington .second innings lie took five wickets in no uncertain style. One of his greatest assets is fielding. Close to the batsman, he is one of the best that could be seen anywhere. He has brought off some marvellous catches, and is also absolutely reliable in the deep field. It is going to be hard to keep him out of the team.

James seems to be the wicket-keeper Tlie only other in New Zealand is Dorreen, and while the Canterbury man has flashes of wonderful speed, it is likely that James’s proved batting ability will swing the scale in his favour. M’Girr has batted wonderfully in the Shield games, but his years are against him. He looked his age when in the outiield oil Friday. M’Girr’s performances entitle him to. a place, but it must be remembered that there is a long, hard tour ahead.

Of the left-hand howlers, Newman gave proof that he can take wickets when he strikes form, but Canterbury showed that he can be handled easily when he is not right at concert pitch. Allcott has all his old accuracy, but not all his old sting, and though a good batsman, it is doutbful whether liis inclusion would compensate for the omission of Kerr or Cromb. Whether these two left-handers will find a place between them will depend largely on their showing ,in the, Wellington-Auck-land match. In that respect, the Canterbury men are at a disadvantage for the team Will be picked before they piny Otago. Oil form to date, the following selection ,is suggested : • Lowry ''captain), Dempster, James, Blundell '(Wellington). Page, Talbot, Merritt, Kerr, Cromb (Canterbury). ' 1 1 - Mills, Vivian, Weir, Cleverly (Auckland). Blunt (Otago). That selection includes six batsmen pure and simple, a wicketkeeper, two stock bowlers, a slow bowler, and four all rounders. Any eleven of them would make a good fielding team.

TEAM FOR ENGLAND. SELECTION AFTER AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON MATCH. ! By Telegraph—Press Association). WELLINGTON, January 6. Messrs W. S. Brice (Wellington) and F. Williams (Otago), members of the New Zealand Selection Committee, were both present at the CanterburyWellington match, after having studied the form in the Otago-Welling-ton match. Messrs N. Snedden (Auckland) and Whitta (Canterbury), the other members of the committee, were present at the Auckland-Canterbury and Otago-Auckland -matches. It is stated that the New Zealand team for England is to be selected after the Auckland-Wellington match at Auckland. The Otago-Canterbury Shield thatch has yet to be played, htlt the New , Zealand team will have been chosen before this Inatch takes place; It is expected to he made known about January 27 or 28. The team is to leave for England towards the end of March. No announcement has boon made as to whether an age limit is to be set in choosing the New Zealand representatives.