Boycott barred

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 14

Boycott barred

(N.Z. Press Assn — Coppriphr' LONDON.

The English Test and County Cricket Board has rejected a request by Geoff Boycott to tour in South Africa with the Derrick Robins XI. The England opening baUman and Yorkshire captajn refused to go on the tour if Australia and New Zealand, announcing that his decision was for personal reasons, and that he wanted a complete rest from cricket this winter. The board secretary, Mr D. B. Carr, said: "When Boyccjt declined to tour Australia and : New Zealand, he made Jt quite clear that he had no ip- : tention of playing any cricMtt j during the winter. The seli■tion committee, and subsequently the board, accepted his decision on that basis.. I “Had the board felt it right, in view of Boycott’s own <s• icision, for him to play crkI ket during the winter, {l** would doubtless have been i considered as a replacement, both at the time when Cofln Cowdrey went out, and alio [last week after David Llojd ;came back and Barry Wopd i was asked to ioin the side.* I “So, in all the circuifrI stances, they did not feel able to accede to his request.”' Mr John Temple, the Yotishire secretary, said that th* county would not haye approved of. Boycott going.. “It is a rule that a plavtr who has turned down a majpi l tour, should not be on » minor tour in the saitfe period, so Yorkshire would not have agreed,” he added.