N.Z. cricketers hold off desperate Pakistan team

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 34

N.Z. cricketers hold off desperate Pakistan team

By

ALAN GRAHAM, NZPA

staff correspondent

Sialkot

In one of cricket’s more memorable matches, New Zealand yesterday defeated Pakistan by one run in a one-day cricket match before a frenzied capacity crowd of almost 12,000 at Sialkot.

Jamming the ground to overflowing the crow’d saw New Zealand score 198 for eight in their allotted 35 overs and then with tight, intelligent bowling, restrict Pakistan to 197 for nine.

The last over saw two Pakistan batsmen run-out, as they desperately sought the winning runs but tight bowling and perfect fielding restricted them to just six runs, two of them off the last ball w'.en the Kiwis spread out knovzing the home side needed four to win.

j It was a wonderful, exciting day, just the fillip the Kiwis needed with tough tests approaching. Glen Turner won the toss —for the first time on the tour the one toss that did not matter too much — but had no hesitation in batting. The crowd overflowed the ground and rioted twice in the first half-hour — fortunately the ropes were moved to make more room and peace was quickly restored.

The New Zealand innings contained an excellent 67 from Turner, who played all his shots and showed all his o’ ’ confidence after three disappointing innings on tour so far. He particularly played the offside push for one or two with great accuracy and was only out when he decided to have a hit shortly before lunch.

John Morrison, though making only 15. supported Turner well in an opening stand which took 41 runs in the first eight overs, Morrison not getting much qf the strike and being bowled by the first spun ball that kept rather low.

Murray Parker was out lbw before scoring, but then Geff Howarth joined Turner and played some elegant strokes to score 43 runs in an 86-run stand. Howarth looks in good form and it has come as a surprise when he has been out cheaply in three of his six tour innings.

John Parker and Andy Roberts were both out trying to force the pace in the last six over, David O’Sullivan was run-out near the end and there was time for a briskly-struck 24 from Lance Caims, including a fine six off Safraz, before the innings ended after 35 overs.

The score of 198 seemed reasonable, considering the slow pitch, though the outfield was very fast and full of runs.

Turner set a deep field for the Pakistan openers, who managed only 32 runs in the first 10 overs of tight bowling. Richard Collinge, Gary Troup, Roberts and Caims all maintained a much tighter line than the Pakistan openers had done and were rewarded with Majid being bowled when trying to force the pace against Roberts and Sadiq being run-out trying a second run off Troup. Zaheer tried to force the pace only to be well stumped by the reserve touring wicket-keeper, John Parker, and just when Mushtaq and Miandad appeared to have collared the bowling Mushtaq was well caught by Andy Roberts in the outfield.

The last six overs, three each from Caims and Collinge, arrived with Pakistan still needing 56 with six wickets in hand. The crowd was in a frenzy as Miandad and Intikhab attacked, mostly with success, until Murray Parker neatlv caught Intikhab on the boundary, with four overs left and 33 needed.

With three overs and 27 runs to go Miandad was still in full cry and the New Zealanders hurled themselves at everything in the field. Every ball from Collinge’s over was scored from — 15 needed in two overs.

Raja hit a four then was bowled by Caims. Then the Kiwis got the wicket they wanted — Miandad bowled by Caims last ball for 47. One over to win and Collinge to bowl at Imran and Sarfraz. Imran a single, Sarfraz hopelessly run-out. No run, then a leg bye then a single to Imran and another leg bye as the Kiwis desperately appealed for lbw against Asif. Two balls to go and Asif was run out by Turner, trying an impossible run. One

ball for Bari with three needed, and ’keeper Parker standing 40 yards back. Two easy runs but no hope of a third as Murray Parker fielded — and the win was New Zealand’s. NEW ZEALAND J. F. Morrison b Intikhab 15 G. M. Turner b Asif Masood 67 N. M. Parker lbw Intikhab 0 G. P. Howarth b Miandad 43 A. D. Roberts c Bari b Sarfraz .. 16 J. M. Parker c Mushtaq b Miandad . 2 R. W. Anderson not out . 4 B. L. Calms c Zaheer b Imran ~24 D. R. O’Sullivan run out .. 1 R. O. Colllnge not out 5 Extras .. 21 Total for eight (after 35 overs) 198 Fall of wickets: 48. 48. 134. 143, 160, 161, 188, 189. Bowling.—Sarfraz Nawaz 7,0, 35, 1: Imran Khan 7,0, 36, 1; Asif Masood 7,0, 39, 1; Intikhab Alam, 7. 0, 36, 2; Javed Miandad, «, 0. 30. 2; Wasim Raja 1,0, 1. 0. PAKISTAN Majid Khan b Roberts .. 20 Sadiq Mohammad run out 17 Zaheer Abbas std J. Parker b O’Sullivan 23 Mushtan Mohammad c Roberts b Troup . 46 Javed Miandad b Cairns 47 Intikhab Alam c M. Parker b Colllnge . 7 Wasim Raja b Cairns .. 8 Imran Khan not out .. 4 Sarfraz Nawaz run out .. 0 Asif Masood run out .. 0 Wasim Bari not out .. 2 Extras 23

Total (for 9 wickets) 197 Fall of wickets: 38, 44. 74, 89, 139, 166, 188. 191, 192. Bowling.—Collinge 7,0, 37, 1; Cairns. 7,0, 36, 2; Roberts, 7, 0 30, 1; Troup, 7,1, 29. 1; O’Sullivan 1, 0 42, 1.