AN “IF” TEAM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 429, 10 August 1928, Page 9

AN “IF” TEAM

English Cricket Side

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

VIEWS OF “THE FIELD” (United P.A.—By Telegraph Copyright) (Australian and N.Z Press Association) Reed. 9 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. The newspaper “The Field” says there seems to be general agreement that the Marylebone Club has done very well in its choice of the English team to tour Australia, but the plain fact is that it is an “If” team. “If Hobbs does not break down, the absence of any other first-wicket partner for Sutcliffe will not matter. If Larwood keeps sound, he will be the very man to open with Tate. If on the faster wickets of Australia Tate regains the skill he lost here, he may once more be the only great bowler in the world. “If Freeman succeeds on his third tour after failing in the others, it will be a marvel, and our bowling will be strong. If White, in the rarer air of Australia, can flight the ball as he does here, our bowling will be very strong. “If Mead, with his handicap of age and weight, can survive fielding for two or three days in the intense heat without tiring, he is the very man for No. 4. If all these things happen, or even several of them, we may win the tests. If not, we may have to wait till we can do without so many Tfs.* ” FIRST GAME IN OCTOBER TOUR ENDS IN MARCH ITINERARY OUTLINED The team to tour Australia will leave England early in September, and the first engagement in Australia will be a match with Western Australia at Perth, commencing on October 18. All the other States will be met before the first Test takes pYice at Brisbane. The touring tea mi’s fixtures are as follows: October 18, 19, 20. —v. Western Australia, at Perth. October 26, 27, 29, 30.—v. South Australia, at Adelaide. November 2,3, 5, 6.—v. Victoria, at Melbourne. November 9, 10. 12, 13.—v. New South Wales, at Sydney. November 16, 17, 19, 20.—v. Australian Eleven at Sydney. November 24, 26, 27, 28. —v. Queensland, at Brisbane. November 30, December 1,3, 4,5, 6. v Australia (first Test), at Brisbane. December 8. 10.—v. Combined Country, at Warwick, Queensland. December 14. 15. 17, 18, 19, 20.—v. Australia (second Test), at Sydney. December 21, 22.—v. Newcastle and Hunter River, at Newcastle. December 29, 31, Januai*y 1,2, 3, 4. v. Australia (third Test), at Melbourne. January 5. 7.—v. Geelong, at Geelong January 9, 10.—v. Bendigo, at Bendigo. January 12, 14, 15.—v. Tasmania, at Launceston. January 17, 18, 19.—v. Tasmania, at Hobart. January 25. 26, 28, 29.—v. South Australia, at Adelaide. February 1,2, 4,5, 6, 7. —v. Australia (fourth Test), at Adelaide. February 9, 11.—v. Ballarat, at Ballarat. February 15, 16, IS, 19. —v. New South Wales, at Sydney. February 21, 22.—v. Western Districts, at B,athurst. February 25, 26.—v. Southern Districts, at Goulburn. March 1,2, 4, s.—v. Victoria, at Melbourne. March 8,9, 11, 12, 13, 14.—v. Australia (fifth Test) at Melbourne. March 21, 22, 23.—v. Western Australia-Victoria-South Australia (combined), at Perth.