TEST-EVE BLOWSTACKPOLE HURT

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33106, 22 December 1972, Page 20

TEST-EVE BLOWSTACKPOLE HURT

(New Zealand Press Association >

ADELAIDE.

Australia suffered an eve-of-match set-back when a back injury forced the opening batsman, K. R. Stackpole, to withdraw from the team to play Pakistan in the first test at Adelaide Ox al starting today.

The burly 32-year-old Australian vice-captain aggravated an injury near the base of his spine when bending to pick up his heavy cricket bag before leaving his suburban Melbourne home to fly to Adelaide yesterday morning. He had passed a fitness test at the nets the previous day. The mishap evened the tussle slightly for the opening match of the three-test series, which the Australians are favoured to win. The Australian captain, I. M. Chappell, said that Stackpole’s injury was definitely a blow to the side. Stackpole was Australia’s biggest runmaker in England this year, and against England in the home series in 1970-71. The Australian selectors included the South Australian spinner, T. Jenner, in the Australian 12 in place of Stackpole. Jenner, on his home ground, looks certain to be the twelfth man, ensuring the batsman J. Benaud, of his first test opportunity. OPENERS I. R. Redpath, the 31yearold Victorian who was left out of the 17-member team for England earlier this year is almost certain to resume his old opening role for Australia for the first time since the second test against the West Indies in Melbourne four years ago. Redpath, who lost his place to his fellow-Victorian, Stackpole, for the third test in Sydney, is expected to open with the recently-pro-moted A. P. Sheahan. A disappointed Stackpole said he had withdrawn from the side because the injury in

the lumbar region of his spine restricted his bending. “I woke up stiff this morning and really felt it when I picked up my cricket bag to come here this morning.” said Stackpole, who added that he first felt back soreness during the English tour.

The trouble recurred during a shield match in Melbourne 10 days ago. “I would play if I could, | but it is not fair to the side,” said Stackpole after taking! part in a practice session at Adelaide Oval. Chappell said he was ex-| peering a tough series. “1 am under no delusions of grandeur against Pakistan,”! he said. “Their side is in good form, and they are not I going to be overawed by the test match,” said Chappell. MILD SURPRISE The only mild surprise of the Pakistan side was the selection of the experienced Saeed Ahmed, a basman-off-spinner, who will add the needed variety to the Pakistan spin attack led by the captain, Intikhab Alam, and Mushtaq Mohammad, and add punch to the middleorder batting. The team manager (Wing Commander M. E. Z. Ghazali) described the Pakistan team

as the "strongest side we could have selected on present form.” Intikhab, who had a closelook at the green-tinged Adelaide wicket before watching a short practice in sweltering heat by only five of his players, said the selectors had decided against taking in another left-arm spinner on the wicket. He said the wicket on a pitch never been used before in test cricket was likely to turn, but he said the selectors expected many runs. The penerating Australian speedster, D. Lillee, looms as the biggest danger to the Pakistan batsmen, who have shown a liking for hooking, usually with costly results. The Pakistanis were welcomed to Adelaide by Sir Donald Bradman, the former chairman of the Australian board of control, who is now aged 64. Teams for the first test are:— Australia.—From I. R. Redpath, A. P. Sheahan. I. M. Chappell (captain), G. S. Chappell, J Benaud, R Edwards, R W. Marsh. D. Lillee. A. Mallett, K. O’Keefe, R. Massie, T. Jenner. Pakistan. — Sadiq Mohammad, Talat Ali. Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan. Mushtaq Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed. Asif Iqbal. Intikhab Alam <captain), Wasim Ban, Salim Altaf, Asif Masood. Twelfth man, Sarfraz Nawaz.