Edrich injured, likely to play in test

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32498, 7 January 1971, Page 18

Edrich injured, likely to play in test

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY.

The England batsman J. H. Edrich, who strained a tendon in his left leg on Tuesday was unable to practise with the rest of the M.C.C. players yesterday but his chances of playing in the fourth test on Saturday are good.

Edrich injured his leg in the one-day match against Australia at Melbourne, but the M.C.C. manager (Mr D. Clark) said yesterday that “it is not a very important one.”

“He has been told to rest for a couple of days. Howlever, I think he will almost certainly play in the test,” Mr Clark added

Edrich will miss today’s one-day match against a New

South Wales Country XI at Wagga, as also will K. W. Fletcher, who was named in the team but reported sick yesterday morning with a sore throat. The doctor who examined Fletcher ruled him out of the game. B. L. D’Oliveira will take his place. In the one-day game against Australia, Edrich made 82 and won $2OO as the “man of the match.”

The English test umpire, Mr C. Elliott, who is in Australia on a Churchill scholarship, judged Edrich winner of the award, and told the crowd after the match: “Without his innings I doubt whether we would have seen a game at all.” The M.C.C. made 190 and Australia won by five I wickets.