VAUDEVILLE LOOK Exotic fielding in N.Z. victory

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 24

VAUDEVILLE LOOK Exotic fielding in N.Z. victory

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LAI NCESTON ( l asmanial.

It took an hour of what could charitably be called exotic fielding to break up the Tasmanian second innings yesterday and give the New Zealand cricketers their first first-class win — with 94 runs and 37 minutes to spare — of their Australian tour.

After G. M. Turner had scored an impeccable century (his thirty-seventh in first-class matches . the \ew Zealanders declared at 221 for four, leaving Tasmania about four hours in which to score 260 for victory.

With the pitch and I). R. Hadlee in quieter mood than on the first two days, the Tasmanian openers. K. Thompson and R. Doolan, started so briskly that the first 50 came in IK minutes.

The', were striking at about the required rate of five runs an over.

B. L Cairns broke the stand when Doolan missed with a haymaker of a shot, and smart catches by K. O Campbel!, the wicket-keeper.

and Hadlee reduced Tasmania ‘to 87 tor three. Even then there seemed the prospect that if Tasmania could not get the runs it might have batted for the rest of the week, as the New Zealand attack was looking rather limp. Crazy turn Suddenly everything went slightly crazy. K. Badcock. one of the .local heroes, had an enormous heave at a spinner from E. R. O’Sullivan, but the edge curled gently out to Hadlee at mid-wicket Badcock was so bemused by all this that he began to run. and then stood in midpitch waiting for Hadlee to complete the catch. To everyone’s dismay Hadlee dropped it. but retrieved it quickly and ran Badcock out bv about four yards. Death wish J. Wilkinson had such a death wish about his batting that he tried to distribute catches everywhere. To O'Sullivan’s dismay, he had two chances dropped, one smack into Cairns’s midriff at mid-off. and the other

*a higher, harder one, which Cairns did well to get a hand to- . .

Inevitably, Wilkinson soon disappeared. Turner grasping ,the chance at mid-off so care(fully that the ball might have been made of the finest (crystal. Tea position A. Benneworth looked as prim as a maiden aunt at Evensong, but soon caught the Marx Brothers atmosphere, and whacked at everything and also disappeared, Turner again carefully spearling the catch into his left hand.

( By tea. Tasmania was 116 (for six. needing 124 in 100 minutes, and the New Zealanders were in sight of victory. After tea. the New Zealanders lost their vaudeville ■look as they pressed on keenly for victory. O’Sullivan and G. iD. Alabaster bowling to tight (set fields. J. Simmons, the last local (hope, was winkled out, and all that remained was the mopping up, O'Sullivan and Alabaster sharing the spoils. Turner’s 100 was a splendid effort. He must still have worries about his hand, and he hit only seven hours in his 230-minute innings. However, he had much of ihis old control, and his display promises much for the last two big matches of this tour.

B. F. Hastings again batted splendidly, and his 43 contained some maiestic strokes at a time when New Zealand wanted runs quickly before lunch.