Views Of Alan Kippax

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 28

Views Of Alan Kippax

FIELDING MAY WIN TESTS Gregory K.een To Be In Xhe Fight Alan Kippax, the New South V/r’es cricket captain, considers that the English and Australian teams in the coming Test matches will be so evenly matched that the helding may decide the issue. He expresses the view in the following article that the side that stands up best to its obligations in this respect, especially in the slips, will win the rubber. (By ALAN KIPPAX, Captain of the New South Wales Sheffield Shield Team.)

The 1928-29 series of Test iratches with England promises to be one of the most interesting ever played between the two countries.

Added to the enthusiasm always displayed in these struggles is the fact that the Englishmen visit us on this occasion as the holders of the “Ashes,” with the Australians striving to win them back; a position we have not been in since 1920-21. Also, it seems certain that a number of new faces will be seen on both sides, and the public will be keen to see how they fare in these historic games. Even at this stage the ultra-keen follower of the game is discussing the prospective teams and their performances. . , , , On recent Australian form we should be able to field a particularly strong batting side, headed by those two

wonder batsmen. Ponsford and Woodfull, and we have every right to claim them as being at least the equals of Hobbs and Sutcliffe, great as those two undoubtedly are. Our selectors will have the choice of eight or nine other strong batsmen to back them up, such as Andrews, Taylor (whose health is greatly improved), Richardson, Jackson, Morgan and Alexander, to name only a few. Then in Gregory, Ryder, Hendry, Oxenham and Nicholls we have men with performances and experience from whom to choose the all-round plajers for the side. The Bowling Problem. The bowling strength of the side is going to cause some worry, and it will be paramount to give our bowlers, whoever they may be, the very best support possible in the field. At the moment those who seem to be most in the running for the arduous task of getting the Englishmen out are Gregory. Griminett. Blackie, Mailey. a’Beckett, Oxenham, and McNamee. Of these our thoughts fly to Grimmett, Gregory and Blackie as the main attack, but many things may happen between now and the time the selectors pick the first test team.

One bright spot on our cricket horizon is the fact that Jack Gregory has taken a new lease of cricket life. He is again very keen to represent Australia, and has made up his mind to leave no stone unturned to get into top condition this season. That his fall-ing-away after the last trip to England was not due to any loss of ability he amply proved in the final game against Victoria last season, when, after a couple of weeks at the nets, he came cut and bowled in great style, and maintained his pace throughout the match. Clarrie Grimmett is at least as good as he was when chosen to tour England in. 1926, and, to my mind, will be Australia’s most dangerous bowler. Added to this, he is a very fine field, and his hatting has improved to such an extent that I feel sure he could be named as one of our greatest all-round players to-day. It has been proved in the past that slow bowlers are most successful against the English batsmen, if for no other reason than that these batsmen, in many cases, do_ not use their feet to get down the wicket in playing the

bosey bowler, as most Australian players do, and, having this in raind. the selectors mav see fit to fall back on that hero of many battles against England, Arthur Mailey, and play two slow trundlers against them. A’Beckett and Nicholls. Last season two new men. a’Beckett and Nicholls. came into the limelight, and next season may see one or both of them fighting their way into side. E. a’Beckett is the type of bowler medium pace, greatly needed in Au&! tralian cricket. He is of ideal build, with a natural gift of being able to make plenty of pace off the wicket, besides being able to “do a little** either way in the air. With the experience he gained last year. I would not be surprised to see him go right to the front this season.

Nicholls had a meteoric rise last season, reminiscent of Jack Gregory’s entry into first-class cricket, and his future will largelv depend on his doings this season. He has good prospects of be>coming a really great all-round player. Although originally selected as a ikiwler, I think he will go further as a bat*l man, provided he can master the dangers of slow bowling. His slipfielding ability will prove a big asset in his advancement, should he concentrate on this all-important department of the game. Blackie's Ability. Blackie, during the last few seasons, has been Victoria’s most dangerous bowler, and, though getting on in years, has been able to stand the physical strain of four-dav matches. In fact, he lias been called upon to do more w r ork than most other bowlers, by reason of the fact that because of its

pronounced batting strength, Victoria has often had to send the opposing team in to follow’ on. This makes a big task for her bowlers, and how well Blackie has stood the strain is shown by his performances in Sheffield Shield games during the last few seasons. McNamee, though a little faster through the air than Blackie, is of a similar type. He has at time bowled wonderfullv well for New South Wales, especially in Melbourne and Adelaide, and there is no reason why the experience gained by him during the last two seasons should not make itself felt in the coming summer. He has clean howled Billy Ponsford three times in the last two seasons—a good record in itself.

The one position that Australia will not have to worry about is that of wicket-keeper. Oldfield is without a peer in the world to-day, and. added to his ability behind the stumps is the fact that he is a force to be reckoned with as a batsman, especially m big cricket. Young Batsmen, Jackson, Alexander, and Bradman are three young Australian batsmen with wonderful prospects for the future, so much so that it is impossible to foretell how far they will go even as early as next season. Morgan is a better player than his performances in big cricket show. Unfortunately for him, up till last season he was never certain of his pUtce in the side, no matter how well he did, as New South Wales had so many champion batsmen to choose from.! a team player, he is always at his best when the side Is np against it. He came into his own last season, and should he do as well in the coming season, he will surely be knocking at the door to international honours.

It is my opinion that, considering the equality of the two sides on paper, the all-important factor in the next Tests will be the fielding. side that stands to its obligations in the field, especially in the slips, where nearly everv match is won or lost, will win the rubber.

One of the outstanding features of the recent tour through New Zealand was the copsistentlv good slip-fielding of Richardson, and Woodfull, both of whom took many fine catches in this position, besides being all that could he desired in ground work. Australia in the past has always held her own in this all-important department of the game, and there seems to be no reason why the team that takes the field this season against England should not do likewise.