Batting Weakness Exposed—Reid

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 19

Batting Weakness Exposed—Reid

“It is no disgrace being beaten —but it is a disgrace not to fight back. We were beaten in this test but we fought back.” said the New Zealand captain. J. R. Reid.

He said that he was pleased and disappointed with the team’s performance in the third test. Until its second innings. New Zealand had been well in the match but once again there had been a batting failure; it had allowed England to win the match The reason for the failure of many of the New Zealand batsmen was that they did not get behind the ball The fees that most players were caught behind the wicket emphasised that failing he said. Reid also praised the players They had shown determination but it was again a caae of not enough practice against good bowlers

There was ability tn the New Zealand team but against fast, accurate and hostile bewMng deficiencies

in batting technique had been exposed. “New Zealand batsmen have to improve their technique against bowling slightly short of a length In the England team, Trueman was the only bowler to keep the ball up consistently—but you could not take many liberties with him

“The rest of the bowlers had that nagging length which stopped the drive and forced the batsmen to score off the back foot. The New Zealand players could not cope fully with that bowling.’ ’ he said. “The century I scored was the hardest I have ever had to work for. There were only six balls bowled to me that I could really hit, which was not many when you remember I batted for four hours ”

Summarising the three tests. Reid said by the third test New Zealand had come cieser to England, mainly because the players had intensive experience against good bowling. That had to be continue if New Zealand was to take a prominent part in test cricket.