VICTORY FOR YOUTH

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 6

VICTORY FOR YOUTH

The Cricket Team For England

Y°UTH hath prevailed. That is the outstanding feature of the selection of the New Zealand cricket team for England, and the selectors are to be congratulated m having given promising colts their chance. In most sports there has always been a tendency to give preference to experience m the selection of representatives io go abroad. A few old heads are certainly essential, more particularly m a cricket team, but apart from these sheet anchors v youth should come first.' V v The main object of a sports body should be to encourage its younger players, and the inclusion of the most, promising m teams for abroad not only has this effect, but also. gives them greater experience and creates the opportunity for them to become first-rate exponents of the sport m which they indulge. Taken all round, the team for England is an ideal one, although on paper it may look to be weak m bowling. Nevertheless it is a strong team, fully representative of the cricketing strength of the Dominion, and although it can hardly be expected to defeat the major counties at Home it should give a good account of itself and win more matches than it loses, ,'■'■■'.' Merritt's inclusion has been the subject of some criticism! It is certainly a daring experiment on the part of the selectors; but it is an which may quite well turn out very successfully^ and there is ample justification for it. Although he has as yet to fully prove himself, Merrittxis probably the most promising bowler seen m the Dominion for years, and even if he is not altogether the success on the trip, which the selectors anticipate the experience he will obtain will be invaluable, and will make him, a season or so. hence, one pf the mainstays of ! New Zealand cricket. Badcpck will be a tower of strength to the side, but his inclusion cannot altogether be commended, ''and it would have been far v better had a straight-out amateur been selected. ' In giving preference to youth, the selectors have set a precedent, which should be adhered to m the future. 'It is a lesson which should be remembered when the New Zealand rep-, resentatives for the Olympio Games are chosen. : '