N.Z. Awaits Execution Day

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30712, 30 March 1965, Page 15

N.Z. Awaits Execution Day

(By R. T. BRITTENDEN, Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A ) RAWALPINDI, March 28. New Zealand’s head is on the block and execution will take place on Tuesday. One could not ask for the unlikely reprieve of rain so thoroughly has New Zealand been outplayed in the first of its three cricket tests with Pakistan. After two disastrous days New Zealand, 175 and 59 for six wickets, still needs 84 to reach Pakistan’s first innings total of 318. The cold figures are depressing and they stand as evidence of how singularly illequipped this New Zealand team is in spin bowling. There has been help for bowlers in this pitch right from the start of the match and Pakistan, armed to the teeth with bowlers able to cut and spin the ball, has made the most of it while New Zealand’s slow bowlers have failed abysmally. By the end of the second day, the Pakistan left hander, Pervez, had found a perfect length on the dustbowl pitch and he used it most skilfully. Made To Measure New Zealand has effected two minor recoveries already in this match, but a third one is out of the question. With only four wickets to fall Sutcliffe, one of the remaining batsmen, is again badly handicapped by a pulled muscle, and the pitch is now made to measure for the leg breaks of Pervez and the offspin of Salahuddin. Even the pace bowlers, Asif, Majid and Farooq, were able to move the ball sharply off the pitch at times. The New Zealand bowling has been found wanting in these conditions. The fast bowlers, Taylor and Collinge, have both bowled with great heart, but Collinge depends primarily on speed and swing, and the shine disappears from the ball after four overs.

Taylor’s attack Is based on swing and lift, and there is nothing in this pitch for him. Both the New Zealand pace bowlers who can seam the ball, Motz and Cameron, are not playing in this match. And where late this afternoon Pervez and Salahuddin were fizzing

and turning the ball, an hour or so before Yuile, Pollard and Reid had been extracting gentle spin. On Defensive New Zealand has been on the defensive in this match from the moment Hanif won the toss for Pakistan and put the tourists in on a very lively pitch. The ball moved sharply from the off and there was quite a rfeady turn even before lunch. By the first interval New Zealand was half out for 39, and although a stouter resistance might have been expected the conditions for batting were genuinely difficult. The pitch played more quietly in the afternoon, and Taylor again showing a very bold approach hit up 76 and led the way to the New Zealand total of 175. But by stumps Pakistan had scored 138 for three. New Zealand came back into the game this morning by taking five more wickets for 82, chiefly a reward for the accurate bowling of Collinge, Taylor and Reid. But after lunch Pakistan added 98 In even time for the last two wickets. It was then that New Zealand sorely felt the need of someone to turn the ball from the leg, for Yuile still is not doing more than rolling it, and his turn is barely perceptible. Picked Up Runs During the morning Reid had been the best bowler, for he was able to make an occasional

ball lift a little, but once the pace section had spent its energy after lunch, Pervez and Farooq made merry, while Salahuddin, playing more correctly, picked up runs steadily. The Pakistan tail-enders hit across the line, but it was usually with what spin Reid and Pollard could find, and although Yuile had a more accurate spell he was rarely a problem. So Pakistan was able to establish a commanding lead of 143 and by close of play it looked plenty. Six Wickets Fall

With tea taken at the end of the Pakistan innings. New Zealand was left with 140 minutes' batting, and in that bleak period six wickets fell while 45 runs came from the bat.

Jarvis and Sinclair laboured to add 39 runs for the second wicket, and Sinclair and Morgan were together for 50 minutes, but in the last 20 disastrous minutes four wickets fell. New Zealand batsmen had a dreadfully difficult task, for both Pakistan’s principal spinners turned the ball abruptly and quickly. „ , . The longer New Zealand batted the worse the conditions were likely to become, and it was surprising that some effort was not made to loosen the bowlers’ grip. The bowlers seemed to hypnotise the batsBut Salahuddin had no fieldsman in the region of long on, and the policy should surely have been to attack him there. Neither he nor Pervez was easy

to get at, but some countermeasure was needed other than a groping defence which could lead only to ultimate dismissal —from 57 for two to 59 for six, and with hardly a blow struck in anger. Disappointing It was disappointing for Reid particularly to fail again, for he had spent much of the day trying to patch up his side’s bowling deficiencies, and 34 overs were far too much for a man on whom the batting depends so largely. Monday is a rest day for the players. It seems almost certain that there will be a considerable amount of time off on Tuesday as well.