Congdon To Captain N.Z. Cricket Side

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 22

Congdon To Captain N.Z. Cricket Side

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

B. E. Congdon (Central Districts) has been appointed captain of the New Zealand teams for the first two of the three tests to be played against the touring Australian team.

Congdon led the New Zealand side in Australia earlier this year when the captain, G. T. Dowling, was injured and B. W. Sinclair, a former New Zealand test captain, was also unable to play because of injury.

He has won the appointment this time ahead of Sinclair and also of V. Pollard, vicecaptain of the New Zealand team which toured overseas last year. The team for the first test at Auckland next Friday is:— JI. G. Burgess (Auckland) B. E. Congdon (Central) R. S. Cunis (Auckland) D. R. Hadlee (Canterbury) H. J. Howarth (Auckland) B. A. G. Murray (Wellington) V. Pollard (Canterbury) B. W. Sinclair (Wellington) B. R. Taylor (Canterbury) G. JI. Turner (Otago) G. E. Vivian (Auckland) K. J. Wadsworth (Central). The omission of M. G. Webb, the young Otago fast bowler, from the 12 players named for the first test will be the principal point of discussions on the choice of the team. Webb has an astonishing record in his first representative sea s o n—3l wickets at 15 runs each—and although he was heavily punished on the second day of Otago’s match with the Australians, when the ball was wet and he bowled inaccurately. he still took six wickets in the innings and captured them at his phenomenal striking rate of one every four overs.

Although he looks capable of taking wickets in any company, the' selectors are probably wise in not asking him to start his international! career at Eden Park which,' 'in all probability, will yield 'little bounce and be slow of pace. By the same token, they: have thrust an especial burden on Hadlee, who will be expected to produce his damaging best on a heartless pitch. If the Eden Park pitch is of the usual quality, Cunis is a certainty, but either Hadlee or Taylor might be twelfth man. Pollard has earned a re-, prieve, with a good, all-round! performance for Canterbury against the touring team, but there will be regret at the dropping of B. F. Hastings. Burgess and Hastings are| New Zealand’s most talented; batsmen at-present, but Hast-! ings is not in form, and Sinclair had Io be given a place. M. J. F. Shrimpton is! another who has been unable to win a place, although he has earned recognition. Wadsworth must have been closely pressed by B. D. Milburn, who kept wicket very well for Otago against Australia. All the chosen players have appeared for New Zealand tn 1 test cricket, although Vivian’s! only previous international was in India, during the 1965 tour.