REID AVAILABLE TO LEAD N.Z. TOUR

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 19

REID AVAILABLE TO LEAD N.Z. TOUR

Emphasis On Playing Strokes And Scoring

J. R. Reid, of Wellington, will be available to lead New Zealand on its tour of India, Pakistan and England next year.

For some months Reid has been in doubt about his availability. A esterday he telephoned the chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control (Mr J. L. Kerr) to advise him that he would be able to take part in the tour.

“I welcome the news that Reid will he available,” said Mr Kerr. “His experience and playing ability will add much to the attractiveness of the side.”

New Zealand cricketers as a whole will echo Mr Kerr’s remarks. Reid has been playing test cricket for New Zealand since 1949, and his stature has grown with the passing years. It was clearly difficult for Reid to find time for the tour, because of family and business commitments, but his final decision improves immensely New Zealand’s chances of making a good showing in what will be an exacting tour. Reid is still a magnificent attacking batsman, a highly skilled off-spin bowler, a superb fieldsman, and an inspiring leader. Without him, the team would have seemed only about halfstrength. His Last Tour

But there will be widespread regret that this is to I be Reid’s last tour. He has! said that after 1965 he will be available only for club and Plunket Shield cricket. Reid is only 36 years old, and he could, in different circumstances, have stayed on the international scene for at least another five years, for he is remarkably fit and strong.

It must be recognised, however, that Reid, and many

others, have made very considerable sacrifices to stay in cricket, and it is better, perhaps, to applaud him now than deplore his impending departure. His contribution to New Zealand cricket has been immense. Courage and skill, aggression and application: these qualities have marked Reid out. It will be a good many seasons before one ceases to suffer sharp regret that he is no longer New Zealand’s leader. N.Z. Intentions

“It is essential that New Zealand cricket get away from the defensive role—the 19 runs an hour stuff —which it is in danger of accepting as its stock in trade,” Reid said in Wellington yesterday, the Press Association reported. He was commenting generally on the tour prospects. “It is becoming fashionable for captains to say they are going to play entertaining cricket. Yet it is not always possible. It depends on the ’ ability of the batsmen in the side. “But I am sure the era- : phasis in the New Zealand j team will be on batsmen play- | ing strokes and getting on with the job of scoring runs. “Like the Australian test selector, Jack Ryder—but perhaps without going as far as he did—l will be looking for players who hit the ball. I am sure they will be found. “Regardless of what the final tour selection is, this will be the most experienced team in test cricket ever selected to tour. lam happy to make myself available for it.

“New Zealand teams do not perform as well at home as on tour because they do not have enough concentrated match play. However, I am sure a side selected at this time can give a good account of itself in England. “It will be test-hardened by

the time the first test is played there at the end of May—it will already have played three tests against Pakistan in New Zealand, three against India, and three against Pakistan in Pakistan. Nine tests before opening the England tour is an unprecedented preparation. “Our main weakness has been not so much in technique but in the inability of batsmen to apply themselves.

“I am sure this team will overcome that weakness,” Reid said.