AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE WAS MISSING Sinclair’s Delay Cost N.Z. Slim Chance Of Winning

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 15

AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE WAS MISSING Sinclair’s Delay Cost N.Z. Slim Chance Of Winning

(From R. T. BRITTENDEN) DUNEDIN. Statistically, New Zealand came out of the drawn second test with Australia most satisfactorily. After leading on the first innings by 93, New Zealand declared at 121 for one wicket, and at the close of play the Australians had lost two wickets for 70.

But events at Carisbrook yesterday tended to disprove the belief that the New Zealand team, which thrilled the nation with its success at New Plymouth. was of a really aggressive bent.

Sinclair’s declaration yesterday denied the Australians any chance of winning the match, and that was right and proper, for Australia had not earned a right of reprieve.

But the declaration came so late that it also denied the New Zealand team a chance of winning again. At best, it was a slim chance, but it should have been taken.

It is of vital importance to the game that every such opportunity be seized. There was no prospect of defeat, and even a faint chance of victory should have been pursued. The declaration left the Australians 80 minutes to score 215. Between lunch and tea New Zealand, batting well, scored 99 in two hours, without risks being taken. Even at the cost of a few wickets, runs could have been faster, and the Australians could have been left a target of perhaps 200 in about 130 minutes.

A declaration after 3 p.m. would have saved the 10minute interval between innings, because it would have come into the tea break. The Australians have shown such fallibility against New Zealand’s spin attack on turning wickets that if there was only a slim chance of New Zealand winning, there was a very good prospect of the Australians having to struggle and losing sufficient wickets to give New Zealand a moral victory—and a further boost in its international standing. In the event, the New Zea-j land spinners were not bowled ! at all. It is probable that I Sinclair was influenced toj some extent by the thought! that his pace bowlers have had very little work in the first two tests and he was'

allowing them to limber up for the match at Lancaster Park when they could play far more substantial and vital roles.

Even a declaration at tea, which would have left two hours to get the Australians out, would have been reasonable.

The target then would have been 96, at something between five and six runs an over, but New Zealand batted on for a further 30 minutes for 19 dreary runs. On the credit side, there was a sound performance by Dowling and Jarvis, who had their third successive partnership of 80 or more. Dowling, in scoring 60 not out, became only the second New Zealand er to score 750 runs in a home season. With his tally 759. he is now just 100 short of B. Sutcliffe's record aggregate, with two matches yet to be played. There was more splendid bowling by Pollard and Yuile. who wrapped up the Australians’ first innings with remarkable rapidity. It was their spectacular effort which gave New Zealand a foot in the door.