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INTRIGUE, JEAL
NEW TEST CAP
C
RICKET intrigue that made New South
the pariah of the Board of Control last season
might again show its hand when it comes to naming
the next Australian captain.
The selection of Lindsay Hassett's
successor is up to the Board of Control,
and the Board is honeycombed with
petty internal side issues, pursued relentlessly
by jealous factions,
The Englishmen
come here to defend
the Ashes next. summer.
It's anybody's
guess who will lead
Australia.
Arthur Morris has been
dumped by NSW in preference
to Keith Miller, as
State leader for the past
two seasons.
But Miller, if he's tops
with New South Wales,
was himself passed over
by the Board when Hassett's
lieutenant for the
1953 English tour was
selected.
The Board ignored
NSW's rating of Miller and
Morris and chose Morris
over Miller.
It. would happen again—
of that I'm certain.
The very fact that NSW
prefers Miller to Morris
damns him out of hand
with the Board.
Fighter
Besides for three seasons
Morris has wanted runs
desperately.
On this season's showing
he would be no certainty
to win a place in the 1954-
55 Australian team.
Miller has started an
avalanche of runs. He looks
th; fighting captain. He's
bashing his way through
all opposition opinions.
But wait a minute. . . .
Ian Johnson, rejected
for the 1953 tour of England,
has rallied an indifferent
Victorian Sheffield
Shield side, and only
a week ago whipped
Miller's much better
eotupped NSW eleven, and
they whipped Miller's
men outright.
That was a plume in
Johnson's captaincy cap.
On paper and on individual
performance Miller's
New South Welshmen
should have had the Shield
in the bag by now — but
they are only equal to
Johnson's Victorians. 16
points apiece.
Jig-saw
Therefore, wnat claims
has Ian Johnson?
It's a crazy jig-saw.
Behind the benign front
Australian cricket presents
this season, are rumblings
and schemings that at first
seem strangely unrelated to
the election of the next
captain.
But they are.
The brawl began when
the Board of Control and
Sid. G. Barnes got into
holts.
One or two kite-flyers
in the New South Wales
Association blew off steam
about the Board's relations
with Barnes.
Behind the scenes un-
Keilor's £200 Gift
Carrying a first prize of
£100, the Keilor Gift will
be the principal event at
the Keilor Sports Club carnival
to be held next Saturday.
Prizes for placings
are £75, £20 and £5.
The programme also includes
races over 75 yards,
880 yards and one mile
and five cycling events.
The meeting will begin at
12.30 pm.
official Board meetings
took place.
At the subsequent voting
Queensland got the selector
she so badly wanted, in
Bill Brown, former Australian
opening batsman.
South Australia got their
man elected chairman.
Shocked
New South Wales saw the
Board reject the services of
Mr. A. Oxlade, as chairman.
But they were shocked
when Mr E. A. Dwyer was
defeated in the election of
the Australian selectors.
N.S.W., the most powerful
State in cricket, had
virtually no voice in
selection of the team, for
England and no executive
powers on the Board.
Feathers flew, but unfortunately,
as the other
States saw it, N.S.W.'s cricket
politics were always
distantly connected with
the Board-Barnes incidents.
C o n s e q u ently, when
N.S.W. asked the Victorians
to meet them in conference
on cricket reforms, in Canberra,
Victoria flatly refused.
The Victorians wer^ not
unsympathetic with N.S.W.,
but they refused bluntly to
be embroiled in revolt.
Further, the Victorians
knew that Bill Brown had
been able to defeat
"Chappie" Dwyer as an
Australian selector, only
because two N.S.W. votes
had gone to Brown instead
of to Victoria's
nominee, Jack Ryder.
Vaudeville
Had those votes been
switched from Brown to
Ryder, Dwyer, and not
Brown, would have been
elected.
N.S.W. made no pretence
of her quest for retaliation.
They stated frankly in
Sydney that the bone was
pointed at Board chairman
Middleton, and secretary
Jeanes.
Thev wanted the powers
of Queensland delegate J.
Hutcheon clipped.
The breach was widened
when Barnes, acting as
12th man for N.S.W. in the
Shield game in Adelaide
last season, appeared in
street dress and staged a
vaudeville act when he
took out drinks-on the Saturday
afternoon.
Barnes had carried his
fight with the Board to
the very presence of chairman
Middleton and secretary
Jeanes.
Keith Miller was captain
of that N.S.W. team and
the Board did not hold him
blameless.
N.S.W. added further
fuel to the blaze by continuing
to select Barnes
after the incident. ' Some
Board members felt N.S.W.
should have disciplined
Barnes.
So Miller, the favored
captain of NSW, suffered.
Hassett was the natural
captain for the English
torn - , but it would nave
been no surprise had Miller
been vice-captain.
However, Miller was
passed over and Morris
selected. The Board had
struck back at NSW.
Has all this bickering
been forgotten? Decidedly
not,
Not only is there to be
a new captain selected,
but the Board now needs
a new secretary, since Mr
Jeanes has resigned.
Further, there are three
selectors to be elected.
Sir Donald Bradman has
returned to the Board and
he seems certain to replace
Phil Ridings, if he wants
the job.
Jack Ryder will again
sscure the Victorian support,
and it will be only liis
own wishes that will prevent
NSW from nominating
"Chappie" Dwyer
again.
But will Queensland
make another bid for a
selector?
Bill Brown has
resigned.
NSW are out for reform
and there are sure
to be further complications;
• For one thing, NSW
want chairman Middleton
to stand down for Sir Donald.
On a limb
As to whether Sir Donald
would agree to such a move
I have grave doubts.
The point is that Miller
wears the favors of NSW
and NSW as the disgruntled,
and reformer faction
in the Board, is still out
on the end of a limb with
South Australia and
Queensland and the minor
States,
I feel there will be a
change in Victorian representation
to the Board, and
a more moderate view towards
NSW.
Victoria now would stick
with NSW in any matters
of constitutional reform.
Miller is playing so well
that .he may force the
hand of the Board, while
Morris would have to supply
proof of his ability to
hold his place in the Australian
side.
Meanwhile, Ian Johnson,
with a good season behind
him, could steal through.
He is still the best spin
bowler in Australia.
And in Adelaide they are
grooming Graeme Hole for
the big job.
Neil Harvey is another
who must be considered.
It's a crazy tangle. Like
all intrigues It will be settled
not by whether a man
is fitted for the job but
rather by whether he suits
the factions on the Board.
A big handicap, don't you
think?
Chappie" Dwyer Help
Chappie" Dwyer
It* Johason Help
It* Johason
? Help
?
By H. A.
de LACY
$