Batsmen let us down, says Dowling

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32521, 3 February 1971, Page 28

Batsmen let us down, says Dowling

“No regrets about the trip—apart from the fact we would have liked to have been in the final,” said the New Zealand cricket captain, G. T. Dowling, of the V and G knockout match at Perth, on his return to Christchurch last evening. “Our middle batting let us down,” he said, “You could not expect to win- with a score of 120.”

Asked to comment on the repeated remarks by Perth broadcasters that the New Zealanders would have difficulty with the higher bounce at Perth, Dowling said the bounce was higher but he did not think it contributed to New Zealand’s defeat. “We lost three wickets to bad shots,” he added. “I was proud of the team, and the way it fought back. The bowling and fielding were very good in a very difficult situation, despite the loss of Cunis.”

Dowling said he thought the fact that Western Australia had had to score only three runs an over contributed to the difficulties the home team had at one stage, when six were down for 69. “They seemed to think they had only to bat quietly to get there, and suddenly found themselves four down.” Dowling said a decision in the three-day , match was almost impossible in three SJ-hour days on a good pitch. “We would have liked to have stayed in Australia a little longer,” he concluded.