Wanted: one batsman; must be mean bowler

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 30

Wanted: one batsman; must be mean bowler

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

Only the loss of Bevan Congdon can have caused the New Zealand selectors particular concern in their deliberations about the New Zealand team for the World Cup cricket tournament. The announcement of the team might be made today.

If the non-availability of Congdon is almost the only item on the wrong side of the ledger, it is a vitally important one.

At one stroke, the team has lost its captain, one of its very best batsmen, and the only genuine all-rounder; and in limited-over cricket, it is vital to have a bowler who can bat really well, or a batsman who can bowl his full quota of overs without undue expense.

There are not many in that category, but Otago has two of them. Keith Campbell has already played for New Zealand as a medium-paced bowler, as a wicket-keeper, and as a batsman. He batted well in Plunket Shield cricket this season, and he is a good slip catcher.

But in the context of oneday cricket, the meaner the bowler, the better, and on this score Brian McKechnie, only 21, must have a good chance. Mike Shrimpton, of Northern Districts, is the only other player who could challenge for this place, and his bowling, useful as it may be, is more likely to pick up a wicket or two in a long innings than stem the scoring of runs. Set pattern Limited-over matches swiftly develop into a set pattern which has no place for a string of slips and gullies. A full complement of close catchers is not required.

McKechnie is a brilliant outfie l ', with a fine throw, as well as being a very promising batsman. His rightarm, medium-pace bowling is accurate. He bowled particularly well against Canterbury, and in the other shield matches, a less helpful conditions, he performed ably, his run-rate being lower than those of the more experienced Otago seamers, and of the sagacious off-spinner, Gren Alabaster. Glenn Turner, John Morrison, Brian Hastings, Geoffrey Howarth, and John Parker are assured of places, McKechnie will probably be chosen. The last batting place should go to Barry Hadlee, although he has rivals in such as Robert Anderson and Rodney Redmond. But Hadlee earned his place, without a shadow of doubt, in the New Zealand test 12 and he cannot be left out now. Ken

Wadsworth will add to the batting strength and Parker provides a wicket-keeping replacement in the event of Wadsworth being injured. Bottling line The bowling line-up will probably consist of four seamers and two spinners. The spinners can be only Hedley Howarth and David O’Sullivan. Now that Richard Hadlee has been found fit, he and his brother, Dayle, are certain of places. So is Richard Collinge. The last bowling place will be disputed by Ewen Chatfield and Lance Cairns.

The vote will probably go to Cairns. Chatfield, still relatively inexeperienced, will develop, everyone hopes, into a regular test bowler. For this short series, Cairns would be a better bet. He is experienced, he can hit effectively with his unorthodox methods, he can bowl very accurately and he is a splen-

did outfield with a magnificent throw.

New Zealand has a good record in recent one-day games, and has already defeated, this season, Tasmania, Western Australia, and England, as well as having the better of two rain-ruined games with England in New Zealand. The team chosen for the World Cup should make a very good showing.