DOWLING ERRED?

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32126, 23 October 1969, Page 17

DOWLING ERRED?

Helping To Mop Up (N.Z .P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) HYDERABAD. The New Zealand cricket captain, G. T. Dowling, admitted yesterday that he might have been wrong to help mopping-up operations during the third test against India on Monday. The match »”s -abandoned 20 minutes f i the end when spectator.- rioted as groundsmen, helped by Dowling and some of his players, tried to dry out the pitch after rain. New Zealand needed only to take three wickets to win the test, and the series, 2-1, when the game was abandoned as a draw. Criticising officials for making insufficient efforts to speed a resumption, Dowling said he might have flouted conventions by helping to mop-up but his action had not defied the laws of cricket. However, he denied he had called his players to help remove the covers and aid the work. He said they, as well as a number of spectators, had joined in without being asked. The Indian board of control yesterday invited 27 players for an intensive practice camp before the start of the first test against Australia on November 4. The move followed India’s depressing show against New Zealand. All the cricketers who played against the New Zealanders have been invited to the camp, in addition some veterans, including the former vice-captain, Chandu Borde, Dilip Sardesai and Chandrasekhar.

Mr Vijay Merchant, chairman of the Indian selection committee, said that India seemed to have hit a new low in its cricket history. He admitted New Zealand was unlucky not to win the series, and would have done Indian cricket tremendous good, “by making us aware that we are not as good as we thought ourselves to be.”