Australia's Test Eleven

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 507, 9 November 1928, Page 6

Australia's Test Eleven

Only Three More Weeks Left

Wanted —A Medium Paced Stock Bowler

Is Ron Oxenham the Man ?

INTEREST in the coming battles for the Ashes in Australia will be reaching a climax in the next week or two, when four official and 4,000 unofficial selectors will set to work to pick the Australian Eleven.

Members of the last Australian team who are again available are as follows: Woodfull, Fonsford, Gregory, Grimmett, Oldfield, Hendry, Ryder and Andrews. The first five appear to be sure of selection again, and Hendry, Ryder and Andrews all look to have a first-class chance. Supposing all these players retain their places, this leaves only three places to be filled. There will be tremendous competition for those three places. Think of Vic Richardson, Oxenham, Kippax, Blackie, Kelleway, Jackson and half a dozen more. Australia's greatest need is a medium paced right-hand bowler, not to mention a left-hander. But the race of left-hand trundlers seems to be well nigh extinct. So far, the beet prospective right-hander appears to be Oxenham. who has batting qualifications as well. But Blackie and Scott still have to be disposed of, and Kelleway as an all-rounder is still far from being a spent force. AUSTRALIAN XI. TRIAL A week from to-day, Vic Richardson will lead an Australian eleven in a four-day match against the visiting Englishmen at Sydney. This match is not to be confused with the First Test, which will start a fortnight later at Brisbane. From the Australian viewpoint, it is really the final tryout for the Test Eleven. Players who are regarded as “Possibles" will have their great opportunity to make themselves "Certainties” with the useful backing of Ponsford. Oldfield and Richardson, who look to be sure of selection in any case. The choice of Richardson will probably be not so much a test of his ability with the bat and in the field as it will be a searching trial of his abilities as a captain. If the athletic South Australian “makes good" in this match, then he must be regarded as a most formidable rival to Woodfull as the next successor to Warwick Armstrong and Herbert Collins as leader of Australia’s Test eleven.

The selection of Scott. who is regarded in some quarters as the fastest bowler in Australia for about six overs, and Blackie. the consistent Victorian, suggests that the Australian selectors are still anxiously looking for

right-handers of medium pace and over, who will serve as an efficient background for the thunderbolts of Jack Gregory and the cunning twisters of Clarrie Grimmett. Although Blackie has a high reputation in Australia, he did not quite impress one as a Test match star in New Zealand last season, although he was always on the wicket and required careful watching. Bradman’s two centuries for New South Wales against Queensland have given him a big chance of figuring as an eleventh hour selection for Test honours, but his biggest test will come in the match. New South Wales v. England, which is being played this week-end. Even then, he will get another chance at Brisbane next week. Much the same remarks apply to Archie Jackson, the 19-year-old Sydney colt, who was over here last season with Richardson’s team. Otto Nothling, the blonde Queenslander, who is well known in Maoriland as an international Rugby player, has also been given another chance, in View of a sound performance in the trial match at Melbourne last month. Whatever team is selected for the first Test, Australia’s batting should be very strong. The main concern of the selectors will be bowlers and fieldsmen.