N.Z. CRICKETERS NOT UNDER-RATED BY ENGLISH TEAMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 115, 5 August 1927, Page 7

N.Z. CRICKETERS NOT UNDER-RATED BY ENGLISH TEAMS

The cricket public in New Zealand is a bit sore because when the New Zealand team now on tour in this country meets first-class counties some of the leading players in those counties are not called upon to oppose them, says a writer in “Sporting Life” This is construed into a desire on the part of the counties to enable their visitors to put up a good show. We hasten to assure our New Zealand friends that they have drawn a icrong conclusion from the omission of certain players from our county teams. The sole intention was to give a rest to botclers who badly needed it because the unusually hard grounds have made them footsore. The idea that our counties can win as they please against the New Zealand cricketers is not held here. Our visitors have proved themselves to be cricketers worthy of the steel of any county side. We confess to a surprise that they should have showti such all-round ability. Their batting and their bowling have earned our respect, and we congratulate them that their fielding has also greatly improved since they came among us. And we pay them an even bigger compliment when we say that they uphold the best traditions of British sportsma7iship.