Turner says his batting should improve

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32847, 22 February 1972, Page 28

Turner says his batting should improve

(From D. J. CAMERON. N.Z.P. A. special correspondent) KINGSTON (Jamaica)

The West Indies bowlers who have conceded two double centuries to the 24-year-old Otago and New Zealand batsman, G. M. Turner, must beware—during his superb 223 in the .first test on Friday and Saturday Turner batted only in fits and starts.

Turner’s 223 led New Zealand to 386, 122 behind the West Indies total of 508 for four declared. With the West Indies at 168 for three overnight, and heading for a lastday declaration, Turner will again be needed to help New Zealand draw this test.

Turner’s scores in firstclass matches so far on tour have been 31 and 7 against Jamaica, 202 against the President’s XI and 223 not I out against the West Indies —giving him an aggregate of 463 and an average of 154. "Under these, conditions, the sun, heat, and very hard pitches, I find that I have to bat in fits and starts,” said Turner after his great innings. “I will get 30 or so and

then feel tired, so I have to rest before attacking again, so none of my innings has really flowed yet. I’ll have quiet patches and th en get to the bowlers a bit. “Takes time” “Once I get more strength I might well be able to attack more and rest less. I haven’t lost any weight or at least I hope not, but it take the body time to get tuned to these conditions.”

Turner was not conscious of the fact that he was approaching G. Dowling’s record of 239 in a test by a New Zealander. “I am not really conscious of records as such,” he said. “I try to bat as well as 1 can as long as I can, and if a record should fall along the way, well it falls. “With the tail-enders in, the skipper said he wanted the innings kept going as long as possible That’s why I did not take several singles when Murray Webb was batting at the other end. I couldn’t hit fours—the field was too far spread for that —so I decided to farm the bowling, take one single an over, and try and face at lease four balls of every over. “I supposed it worked, for we batted another 24 minutes after lunch for the last wicket. “On records, I suppose I was conscious of the fact that I could bat throughout a test innings for the second time, knd that might be something unusual.” The feat of batting through for 223 puts Turner in very select company, for only W. Brown the Australian, and L. Hutton, the Englishman, have scored a double century.

by batting right through a n test innings. j Turner batted through a New Zealand innings against England in 1969, scoring 43 not out of 131 at Lords. In first-class matches so far on tour, Turner’s 463 runs have taken 21 hours 22 minutes and have included 49 fours.