CRICKET England May Miss Out N.Z. On Future Tours

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30063, 22 February 1963, Page 17

CRICKET England May Miss Out N.Z. On Future Tours

(*•* Zealand Press Assoctattoe)

AUCKLAND, February 21. English cr ’ <^cet teams which play tests in Australia are less likely to carry on to New Zealand in the future. The Duke of Norfolk, manager of the touring M.C.C. team, said this at Whenuapai today after the arrival of his team for a tour of four matches, including three tests.

"I am not speaking officially for the M.C.C. in this matter,” the Duke said. “But lam well aware of the anxiety within the dub as to the burden of excessive play which is borne by our leading players.

“As • CM* in point, E. R. Dexter, over the last tour yearn has played in the normal English season, about 30 three-dey matches and five five-day teat matches, and in addition has toured the West Indies, Australia and elsewhere.

“M.CC. are an seriously concerned about this burden that they have decided that there shall be no tours of any kind in the winter of 1963-64. Curtailed Tours ■ Some ot this anxiety may possibly lead to a curtaUmenit of future visits to Australia and a consequent passing over of the usual subsequent visit to New Zeeland." The Duke and his players were welootned at the airport by Mr E. Hayes, of Dunedin, as president at the New Zealand Cricket Council, Mr J. L. Kerr, of Chnstctourch, chairman of the council. J. R Reid, captain of the New Zeeland team, and by officers of the Auckland Cricket Association. Emergency measures were put into operation on the test cricket pitch art Eden Park this morning after a violent overnight storm had torn one of the covers and flooded the wicket area. By mid-afternoon, after considerable use of a heavy roller, the pitch was almost dry. Given fine weather tomorrow ft seems ft will be hard and reasonably fast for

the opening of the flnt test match on Saturday. Net Practice The New Zealand team had a net practice during the afternoon and of this the principle feature was the extremely aggressive knock ot Reid. One of his sweeps to square leg travailed well over 100 yards to the bounce and some lofted drives were almost as powerful Reid was not in the least dismayed by some of the embarrassing events of the warm-up match his team

played thia week against Central Diatriote.

"The mistakes were the very beet thing that could have happened to us,” he said. "In the past. New Zealand players have gone into these matches cold. "If we had not had the match, we Wellingtomans, as an example, would have been playing our first cricket in three weeks. Having played this shake-down match, we have begun to develop some team combination.

"Make no error, this first test is the one to win.”