ALL AUSTRALIAN FOUR

NZ Truth, Issue 1263, 13 February 1930, Page 16

ALL AUSTRALIAN FOUR

Tennis

Will Prove Tough Proposition For Dominion Players

(By "N.Z. Truth's" Special Tennis "Writer). The hardest task ever faced by N.Z. players m an Aus-tralian-New Zealand tennis clash will fall to the Dominion team' that faces the all-Australian four now en route to Auckland.

HOPING for players of class, chiefly J. B. Hawkes and R. A. Schlesinger, ex-Davis Cup stars, the New Zealand L.T.A. has had to own that the four chosen are a formidable side. At the same time their form is not so definitely above that of the Dominion's best, to rob New Zealand of hope m the Test match. , Veteran of the team is Fred Kalms, big, quiet countryman with a terrific service and hard punched volleys. Alone m New South Wales, save for the perennial Willard, Kalms holds place m the first six from the time that Alec Wallace's team invaded Australia and Jack Crawford suffered three defeats at the hands of New Zealand colts. That year Kalms got a three sets to one victory against Buster Andrews m the Australasian singles, and that he is still good he showed by taking the State championship from Crawford two seasons ago. Newest star on the horizon Is C. Sproule, whose rise to Davis Cup trial status has been raised. Victor over Pat O'Hara Wood and W. Teague In the New South Wales-Victoria match, both scores being 6-3, 6-3, Sproule capped his reputation with a five-set go against Crawford In the Victorian championships, losing 1-6, 3-6, 6-2, 11-9, 4-6, and then beat Harry Hopman m three sets straight In a trial for the Cup team, 7-5, 6-3, R. O. Cummings, who won the N.S.W. singles from Hopman last Saturday, also fell a victim to Sproule. C. Donohue, another hitter, is less brilliant, but sound. In the New South Wales first six, he lost to O'Hara Wood 8-6, 3-6, 3-6, and to Teague 5-7, 5-7, when playing m the inter-State games, and was put out by Hawkes m the Victorian -singles 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 6-4. W. Teague, only Victorian m the side, is fifth ranking man m his State, and comes after such giants as Hawkes, Schlesinger, Clemenger, and O'Hara Wood. Probably New Zealand conditions will suit'him well. ; Major matches played by the visitors will be at Palmerston North, where they will meet a North Island team at the end of the month, Christchurch, where the Test will be played on March 7 and 8, and Dunedin, where the South Island will be met on March 11 and 12. Ample evidence of comparative form will be available, however, before the Test side is picked for Christchurch, as Wellington and Auckland will both meet the visitors. . Opportunity offers to use the North. Island match as another test of form, and the selectors will not be slow to seize it. ' . Definitely of national ranking form are Bartleet, Stedman, Sturt, Don. France, Noel Wilson; Camille Malfroy, Charlie Angas: and .Ivan Seay. Provided that Bartleet and Don France, figure m theNorth Island side, the way is opemto try

out any doubtful Aucklander at Palmerston North as a guide to final form. Getting a Test match, Chrlstchurch may not be pleased at the fact that „ there Is no opportunity given their local players of pitting themselves against the Commonwealth's bestSelectors for the national aide will be A. G. Henderson, new Chairman of the Management Committee of the N.Z.Ii.T.A.. D. Murray Kean, Secretary of the Assooiation, and G. N. Goldle, veteran administrator and sound judge of form. Lacking fundamental information, of, for instance, the respective form of Wilson and Seay, their task will be no easy one. Menacing weakness of the New Zealand team will be its. doubles play. Too much driving at the men at the net, too little lobbing, lack of fine angles and failure to hit their volleys hard enough are going to make a rocky road for the Dominion'^ representatives. The hard-punched volleys of the Australians will be an example worth much to them, but m the learning they will pay by defeat. BaTtleet, Sturt, Seay and Wtlson can all show good doubles form, and Don. France Is the hardest hitter of them all, though prone to play favorite shots. But none has the understanding possessed by the visitors. Doubles will count equally with singles, and here the scales are weighted against New Zealand. Don France and Malfroy, the most experienced pair together m first-class tennis, are to split, and there is no other that can count of perfect team work.