THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10503, 15 December 1911, Page 3

THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

(XJMMENCILNG TO-DAY. The First Test Match will bo co.i:menced to-day at Sydney, when. Win - ner's English'team will throw do nit the gage of battle to the cream of Australia's oi*icketing taJem. Dospite their victories over Soui.ii Australia., Victoria ajid Queensland, the visitors have not-, so far;, made a deep impression on t".ie best of the critics who havo had the opportunity of seeing them in action. It will doubtless be argued by warm patriots that the Englishmen could do no more than win, and the margin in the Victorian and Queensland matches was so small as to leave in doubt the direct strength cf the challengers. In individual cases the form of the Englishmen, has l>een high-olass, but it is safe to assert that the team, as a whole, will Jiiave to improve eon.sidera.bly on i !.s previous best to threaten seriously the powerful side that will represent Australia, to-day. It can bo assumed with assurance tjhat, if a. State team eor.ltl push to its what was practically the full strength of the tourists, the combined batting ai d bowling stren ri of Ar?4':rlia should, 011 paper, a,t least, do a little letter.

With the hick equal, this should prove ] the case. If the wicket is true and ! hard for the Test, there should be some brilliant hatting on the part of I tho Colonials, who will 1 include several of the world's Vading batsmen, and men who have the temperament for international games. On performances, there is room to doubt the ! Enigliish team as a whole. 011 the majority of occasions the visitors havo . adopted a "stand fast and play I steady" sort of attitude, and the fur- I

tlier responsibility that is usually exaggerated by such, an ©vent as a Test match is almost sure to bo repeated m a moro pronounced form. Maui against man, Australia Should prove superior to their opponents, both in batting and bowling. Up to date, the fielding on both isddes has been, according to reports, careless, uncertain., raid at times slovenly, but tho present big contest should see tlie reproach removed.

The Australian team (Clem. Hill (captain) W. J. Wliitty, W. W.

Armstrong, V. S. Hansford, V. Trumper, C. G. Macartney; W. Bardsley, C. Kelleway, H. Y. Hordern, A. Cotter, and H. Carter) is precisely the same team as beat the South Africans in the final Test match last season. This is, without a doubt, Australians best side. The Sydney Daily Telegrapih oonsiders, (however, that Roy Minnett (twelfth man) should be assured a place in the team. The question at once arises, Who is to stand down for him ? But this query the paper does not attempt to answer. It will be remembered that in the first three Tests last season with South Africa, D. R. A. Gehrs was included in the teams. The fourth Test saw Macartney standing out for Hordern, and in the fifth tlhe former replaced Gelirs.

English teams in Australia seem to be more' unlucky than Australian teams in England. Warner is the third English captain who has been put out of the team temporarily soon after the commencement of the tour. In 1897, Stoddart received news 021 the day before the first Test match began of the deia.th of his mother, and did not play till the third Test. In 1907, A. 0. Jones fell ill at about tho same stage of the tour, and was out of the team for some time. Glum, who took his place in the first Test match, 'scored a bril'liamt century; "but Jones's skill in captaining was much missed. Warner's, illness is a great handicap to the present side, for not only 'is he a -better batsman than he was 011/ his last visit, s but Jhe . is' ■ lea'cler of great 1 ' Who. -has once before beaten Australia; in a. series of tests on. their own ground. In his absence the leading devolves on Douglas, who may be expected to display therein the grit and doggedness he shows in the boxing ring, but who Hi as not had a tithe of. Warner's experience. Warner, it is expected, will be unable to play at all during the tour. George Guwn's hand has mended satisfactorily, and 'he expects to play in the match to-dav. J. W. Hitch, the fact howler, however, is suffering from strain, and may not be ui.lho to play. It it should turn out to be as serious as that, England's cup of misfortune will be full, indeed. The Australians certainly have tho advantage. Ihe wickets are what they are used to, and every mfcin has had experience in Test cricket. Then again, the weather at. present in Sydney is reported very hot. The Colonials will not mind this, while the Englishmen will find it very trying. On present tappearances the odds are in Australia's favour. Still, cricket is an uncertain game, and critics may yet be confounded.