N.Z. team ‘demoralised’

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 48

N.Z. team ‘demoralised’

iNZPA-Reuter New Delhi ; The president of the Indian cricket Board of Control, Mr •Ram Prakash Mehra, said 'yesterday that the New Zealand cricket team xv : demoralised after its two defeats in Pakistan and could (not handle India’s spin | bowlers. i He reacted sharply to thei (New Zealanders’ criticism of] Indian umpiring and said: “Ai ■bad workman often quarrels ■ with his tools.” The New Zealand captain.) Glenn Turner, and the team) (manager, Mr M. E. Chapple,'; [were narshly critical of i ! Indian umpiring. Turner had I said in Auckland on his rejtum that his team was given I no say in selection of umpires land the umpiring standard in India was the poorest he had) seen anywhere. Mr Mehra said there was nothing wrong with Indian umpiring. In fact the M.C.C. I captain, Tony Greig, had) praised it. If anything, the

umpires tended to be partial to the visitors, he added. New Zealand drew one test and lost two in its recent three-test tour of India. Mr Mehra gave credit to the Indian spin trio of Bishen Bedi, Chandrasekhar and Venkataraghavan for India’s

victory against the Kiwis. He said that there was little the New Zealanders could do against the three world-class spinners on wickets responsive to spin. Replying to Mr Chapple’s and Turner’s criticism that they faced six umpires in three tests, Mr Mehra said it was natural for the board to trv different umpires, as India was a big country. He felt India could have also won I the Kanpur rest, which ended in a draw, had the Kiwi taillenders not staged an unexpected rally. ) But he admitted the heat ii. Madras and Bombay had prevented the New Zealand team from performing at its best. Mr Mehra said he was impressed by the excellent team spirit and enthusiasm among the Indian players and was confident they would put up a fine show in the coming series against England.