Burgess denies Taylor report

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 34

Burgess denies Taylor report

tX.i'. PrrsY .Usociationl AUCKLAND. The Auckland cricketers. M. G. Burgess and H. .1. Howarth, have denied allegations in a statement by B. R. Tayjlor about B. E. Congdon's captaincy of the 'New Zealand team in Australia. 3he statement by Taylor., 'the Wellington Plunket 1 Shield captain and selector, land former New Zealand test ■player was made last week, j "If Bruce Taylor had been, reported correctly he is quite ■ wrong when he says the selection of Bevan Congdon as captain of the New Zealand i

team now in Australia was influenced by my non-availa-bility for this tour.” said Burgess. The report had led to unfair comment and speculation which could disrupt the good will among top New Zealand players, Burgess said. "The facts are that before the touring team to visit Britain last year was selected. I notified the New Zealand board of control that I would not be available for the Australian tour. “I made this decision because 1 did not want to prejudice a business career bv continuing to play cricket at an international level for an average of four months each year. “With regard to the tour of New Zealand by Australia, a knee injury which is not healing quickly is troubling me and only full fitness is good enough for test cricket,” said Burgess, adding that he hoped he would be able to play test cricket again. Burgess said Congdon had done a “tremendous job” in Australia. “Not true*’ Howarth said: “I would prefer to think that the reporter rather than Taylor made the inference. Any statement that I was unavailable because Bevan Congdon is the captain is not true.

“Before the English tour 1 told Ken Deas fthe convener

of the selectors) that 1 was i unavailable for Australia, and ■that this purely and simplv because of business pressures. That is the only rea. i son. Whether Congdon was ■captain or not had nothing jto do with it.” I Howarth said that he would almost certainh b* available for the New Zea land team for the tests when the Australians toured.