Praise, tour plans, out of Aust. cricket visit

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 24

Praise, tour plans, out of Aust. cricket visit

Ftotn D. I. CAMERON'» MELBOI R.N'E. The New Zealand cricketers finished their arduous lour of Australia with a 0-2 defeat in th etest series, a place in the Australasian knock-out final, and xvith the warmest words of praise from that most incisive of cricket judges. Sir Donald Bradman. •

•’You should go back to New Zealand thrilled with your team’s pei[formance,” Sir Donald Bradman told the New [Zealand manager (Mr It. A. Vance).

! results with some satisfaction. 1 "I feel we got the maximum effort from the players lin the last half of the tour. (They came, unprepared from 'the match-play point of view, to a very demanding type cf cricket. I “They not only had to play ’themselves into form, bm had Ito adapt to different conditions. ; “It says a lot for our players that after a hard start

•Ito the tour they stood up to [the pressure of the press, [public and teams they played ([against. . I “I can't imagine a mote i demanding audience than . the Australian spectators. "Sections of the public were particularly critical, ■ noisy and demonstrative, but I generally the spectators are .[knowledgeable and partici'pate in the game to a much . greater degree than in New •Zealand." Commenting on publicity < Mr Vance said that in Aus [tralia there was a section of 'the press which outwardly showed little knowledge <•)' interest, in the strategy and techniques of the game. "It appeared that this section of the press tried to pro duce sensational headlines iwhich would attract readers Ito their paper, rather than [write in an intelligent way [about the game. "1 consider New Zealand extremely fortunate not to I have this fierce competition between newspapers which [demands this kind of journalism.” PAYMENT SUGGESTION i In his personal view, Mr • Vance said that New Zealand should provide more first .class cricket for its players ;bv extending the Plunket j Shield series, even if this I meant some form of payment for the players. ! “I don’t think our cricketers on the verge of New Zea- | land sides are getting enough [first class play to develop the depth of talent we need,” he .said.

I "You had so much trouble jat the start, but in the end [you showed us (hat you could <really play cricket.” ■ Even apart from fulsome .praise, there were, according lio Mr Vance, and the captain ;(B. E. Congdon) more tang■ible profits from the tour, j LATE SUMMER TOURS In his unofficial talks with Australian officials, Mr Vance said that the administrators he had met had said that they recognised the value of more regular tours between [ the two countries. These might well be short tours in February or March, provided they fitted into the international programme, without disturbin'’ the long- ' range tour schedule. Australian administrators (recognised, said ..Mr Vance, (that their players needed experience on pitches different 'to those in Australia.

He thought it would be of lvalue to the Australian' selectors and board members; [to see how their, players' techniques stood up to New' (Zealand conditions, perhaps; [before they toured England.! ■ The timing of future Aus-; tralia-New Zealand tours, j said Mr Vance, should make; certain however that the! Sheffield and Plunket shield competitions should be disturbed as little as possible.!' On the playing side, said Congdon, the most heartening; aspects of the tour were the 1 progress made by the i younger players—especially j [j. M. Parker, J. F. Morrison! and J. E. Coney—and the fur- j ther development of D. R. Hadlee, the outstanding medium fast bowler of the tour, and the wicket-keeper-batsman, K. J. Wadsworth. “These younger players (were tossed into a pressure I cooker atmosphere and have (shown that they have international ability,” he said. “Ken Wadsworth kept; (wicket and batted extremely! [well and he now ranks among: I the top English keepers,' [according to some Ans-' itralians. “Dayle Hadlee was very, ■' [very consistent; at times he' : bowled with genuine hos-| jtility and his batting showed .marked concentration.’’ [ Congdon said he had been pleased too by the way the iother bowlers had been able to adjust quickly to the con[ditions. FIELDING, PACE GAPS However, the tour had; shown that New Zealand! .suffered from two main weaknesses. The first was that there were no outstanding fielders, ;who could lift the standard of the rest —something that! (had been recognised before: ,the team left. I The main hope had been, that fielding would be steady! [and reliable but under tiring! conditions the New Zealand-] ]ers did not achieve even this] (standard very often. I The second weakness wasi i that the spin attack was not 'suited co Australian pitches. “Quite often the quicker] bowlers got the break'[throughs and put us in a [igood position, but we were) frustrated by a lack of pene-j tration from the spinners, when the faster bowlers needed a rest.” He said that the standard ;of umpiring had been generally consistent. “Some of the decision >i about playing conditions! varied from my own opinions —I wondered whether we; ; I should have been on the field 'l’at times on the last day of: qthe third test—but I could: .accept the spirit behind the [decisions.” i Commenting on (he team’s: performance, Mr Vance said ’(that taking into account the ; non-availability of players, ' injuries and sickness. New .■Zealand must look at the tour