Cairns, Pollard in one-day sides against Australia

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 22

Cairns, Pollard in one-day sides against Australia

The former New Zealand cricketers, V. Pollard and B. L. Cairns, and the Canterbury opening batsman, P. G. Coman, have been selected to play for New Zealand in the one-day Rothmans international matches against Australia this week-end.

The left-arm spinner, D. R. O’Sullivan, has also been included in the team of 12 for the two matches. But the Auckland spinner, H. J. Howarth, who played in the third test at Auckland, has been omitted.

The teams were announced last evening by the chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council, Mr W. A. Hadlee. He said that the selectors had given no explanation of the omission of Howarth. The first international will be played in Dunedin on Saturday, and the second in Christchurch on Sunday. The never-on-a-Sunday player, Pollard, has been omitted from the Sunday match and he will be replaced by the right-arm fast bowler, R. J. Hadlee. From the third test team, the opening batsman, J. F. M. Morrison (Wellington) has been dropped for both matches, and R. J. Hadlee will not play in the first game. The team for Saturday is: B. E. Congdon (Otago, captain), M. G. Burgess (Auckland), B. L. Cairns

(Central Districts), R. O. Col- . linge (Wellington), D. R. ' O’Sullivan (Central Districts), , J. M. Parker (Northern Districts), G. M. Turner (Otago), D. R. Hadlee, B. F. Hastings, Pollard, Coman and K. J. Wadsworth (Canterbury). The Sunday team is: Congdon, Burgess, Cairns, Collinge, O’Sullivan, Parker, Turner, D. R. Hadlee, Hastings, Coman, Wadsworth and R. J. Hadlee (Canterbury).

Coman’s inclusion in the team comes as no surprise, as his aggressive approach to the game is suited to oneday matches. He gained an edge on his team-mates last week-end by gaining valuable practice in the Canterbury association’s knock-out final on Sunday. He succeeded admirably and scored 57 of East Shirley’s 117 runs against the winner. Old Collegians. ■ Pollard, a fine all-rounder, makes a return to the New Zealand side after touring

England last year. His accomplished innings of 89 for Canterbury against Australia probably influenced the selector’s thinking. Cairns also returns to the team, making his first appearance for New Zealand during the Australian toUr this season. The inclusion of Cairns gives New Zealand three medium-fast bowlers on Saturday and four for the second game in Christchurch. Second chance O’Sullivan was included in the 13 for the third test in Auckland, but it is a surprise to find his name ahead of Howarth for the week-end matches. Although Howarth did little bowling in the first two tests, he bowled 28 overs in the Australian second innings at Auckland, and returned to form with figures of three wickets for 83 runs. Morrison lost his place through poor performances in his last three innings for New Zealand. He could only manage scores of 0, 9 and 0. Burgess has again yielded to the pressures of the selectors. After the tour of England. he said he was unavailable for international matches, but was recalled for the third test. He did not succeed in Auckland, but has been given a second chance.