An Oasis In A Desert Of Batting Woes

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31256, 31 December 1966, Page 15

An Oasis In A Desert Of Batting Woes

’THE century scored by B. W. Sinclair against England at Eden Park in March was described at the time as one of the greatest innings ever played by a New Zealander in a test match.

In terms of technique, it was almost flawless. Measured by the minutes, it was an outstanding achievement. But the full value of what Sinclair did that day can be understood by a study of the background to his brilliant innings. In 1965, Sinclair was a member of the New Zealand touring team and had suffered, more than most of the others, from the three resounding defeats in the tests. In New Zealand this year, he was in the first test when New Zealand, after establishing a narrow firstinnings lead, had collapsed in the second and had almost lost. At Dunedin in the second test, Sinclair had been thrust into the captaincy through the withdrawal of M. E. Chapple, and had seen his side crumble again on the last day, although the match was drawn. England’s bowling at Eden Park was headed by D. J. Brown, I. J. Jones, K. Higgs and D. A. Allen, all of them genuine test bowlers. Also in opposition was the pitch, a biscuit-brown strip from which the ball came reluctantly. The behaviour of the pitch, and the New

Zealand cricketer’s penchant for getting himself out, persuaded M. J. K. Smith to adopt a policy of defensive bowling, the sort of stuff which makes life difficult indeed for all but the best batsmen and most enthusiastic spectators. Yet Sinclair, on the day a batting virtuoso, was able to reach 90 in just over 130

minutes—a remarkable rate in a test, and an astonishing one against such bowling, and with the ghost of past New Zealand failures at his side. His stroke production, allied to swift and confident foot-work, made mockery of negative bowling and defensive fields. The second new ball was ignored—there were drives and even hooks,

which sent the score scurrying along. To be sure, Sinclair was 40 more reaching his century. But wickets had been falling and he could not afford to get out. It was a magnificent innings, as full of character as of culture. Sinclair is one of the smallest of test batsmen. But he is one of the finest.