Vivian Unluckiest Of N.Z. Cricketers

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30768, 4 June 1965, Page 15

Vivian Unluckiest Of N.Z. Cricketers

(From R T. BRITTENDEN, N.Z P A. Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, June 3. Very nearly every international cricket tour ends with at least one member of the team being prevented from winning the opportunities he needs to develop his own game. In the New Zealand team in England the principal victim of circumstances is the 19-year-old leg-spin-ner, G. E. Vivian. In the team’s 15 firstclass matches he has appeared only three times. He was chosen for the second test in India and that was his initial appearance in firstclass cricket. He bowled well enough to suggest he warranted a further trial. Out Of Step At Delhi and at Rawalpindi he could very well have been extremely useful but the New Zealand selectors were never quite in step with the playing conditions encountered. The history of various grounds and information on them at times seemed to point, match after match, to there being no place for a leg-spinner but Vivian was distinctly unfortunate not to have had a second match before the team came to England. The selection committee was in a difficult position. It naturally wanted to use the young bowler who had impressed the selectors at Christchurch with his considerable potential. But the composition of the New Zealand teams for the series of seven test matches and Vivian’s rather unconvincing form in the nets kept him out of the side. Injured Leg In England he missed the first match but was chosen to play against Lancashire It was at Old Trafford that he suffered a leg injury which kept him out of the next three games.

He returned at Fenners and bowled some good and some expensive overs when handicapped by not being able to put his weight properly on his left leg, for he had not fully recovered from the injury. He could not be considered for the test match. This was followed by the present game with Yorkshire which it was obviously considered was too important for the young and still largely untried bowler to be engaged in. Before the next test, New Zealand has to meet Glamorgan, Surrey and Somerset, and only in the first of these matches can Vivian be certain of a place in the team.

He may have to produce immediate results if he hopes to play many more matches on this tour and it is a tall order for a youngster who has had such limited opportunities so far. Taking A Risk But there are some difficult games before the third test match is played and New Zealand is not sufficiently strong to warrant much in the way of an experiment. At least that is one view. The opposing one is that the tour record so far —one win and five losses—does not have to be so jealously guarded th’i some such risk, can not be taken. So far Vivian has taken one first-class wicket on tour. But he obviously has ability. It would be a tragedy if this cheerful young man, who is still very much a member of the team although he has accomplished so little, is not given every possible chance before the tour runs out. New Zealand is without a bowler of his type and this tour was intended to help him learn and mature. That he can not do from the dressing room.

Nominated.— Auckland soccer selector, Mr W. Walsh, has been nominated by the Auckland Football Association control board for the post of North Island selector.