I. CRAIG TO RETIRE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 15

I. CRAIG TO RETIRE

Tributes Paid By Captains (NZ. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, Mar. 8. The former Australian captain, I. Craig, today announced his retirement from first-class cricket. He will make his farewell appearance for New South Wales in the match against New Zealand at Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow. Craig intends to devote all his time from now on to his business career. He scored 2080 runs for New South Wales at an avrrage of 40.82 in Sheffield Shield cricket. He led Australia on tours of South Africa and New Zealand and played in tests against those countries, and twice toured England. The Australian captain, Richie Benaud, and the New Zealand captain, J. R. Reid, paid tributes to Craig tonight Benaud said: "lan will be a great loss to cricket I think he’s now batting better than ever before. “I personally owe him a great deal, because when I took over the Australian captaincy from him the Australian side had already moulded into a very strong combination, and a lot of this was due to Craig.” John Reid said: "Craig has been a great ambassador for cricket in New Zealand. He led both teams particularly well there and he showed us what a great cricketer he is. Cricket is the poorer tor his going, and we are certainly sorry to hear of his retirement.” The New Zealanders will have a final look at Craig when he plays in the Dominion with the Commonwealth side in a brief final tour before he retires.