Bartlett Aims At Batting

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31249, 22 December 1966, Page 15

Bartlett Aims At Batting

"The Press’* Special Service WELLINGTON. The New Zealand fast bowler, G. A. Bartlett, is setting out with determination to prove himself as a batsman capable of holding a place in first-class cricket.

In Blenheim yesterday he expressed the gravest doubt that he would ever command a place in Plunket Shield cricket through his bowling.

He has been .warned medically of dire consequences if he should continue to bowl and, accepting this, he intends turning his full attention to his batting.

He was not available for the. recent Central Districts

trial for medical reasons but is now playing regularly. Bartlett is an accomplished batsman who could well find a place about the middle of the Central Districts order. He has been a high scorer in Christchurch club cricket and last year was second in the Canterbury shield averages, scoring 228 runs at 32.57. Before that he had good batting performances for Central Districts and, with the New Zealand team in South Africa he was highly regarded as a valuable batsman with qualities as defender and attacker. His brilliance in the close field is another fat credit in his account.

Bartlett’s bowling problems have been many. He has been plagued by back-trouble and especially on the South African tour, by shin soreness.