Cricket before housework

Press, 22 February 1977, Page 5

Cricket before housework

r By JOHN COFFEY , There were no doubts ini the minds of two young Wel-i lington girls, Marian Lucas and Johanna Naus, when, several years ago. they-had the choice of accompanying the male members of their! families to cricket or stay-! ing home to help with the; housework. It was not long before; cricket watching became a I hobby, and in the last few weeks it has developed into; a habit. I Both students of Victoria; University in Wellington— Miss Lucas is a commerce graduate who intends to! study law, and Miss Naus has an arts degree—they were; among those best qualified to gauge the prospects for the first test between Australia and New Zealand at Lancaster Park. The university ,ecess coincided with the Australian tour of this country and, by a series of complicated travel arrangements. Misses Lucasj and Naus managed to see all ; four first-class fixtures lead-' ing up to the test. Their trek started when they drove from Wellington] to Hamilton for the Northern! Districts game; then it was; back home for Wellington’s! match at the Basin Reserve;; the girls flew to Nelson to; watch Australia against Central Districts; and bookings were made on buses and trains to reach Dunedin in time for the Otago fixture. I

“We have always been interested in cricket because of our family backgrounds in the sport, and are usually at the representative games in Wellington,” Miss Lucas said. I They have certainly not become bored with more than two weeks of continu- ' ous cricket—“the more watching we do, the more in- ; volved we become, and the more we learn. When we checked the itinerary, we decided that the trip was ion.” There have been many highlights during the "cricket crawl” of Misses Lucas and Naus, who were members of the girls’ first XI at Tawa College. Understandably, the Australians have become almost larger than life so familiar are their cricketing styl-s to Misses Lucas and Naus. And the two students have had their allegiances tested. “I guess we have nearly become Australian supporters because the home ; sides always have enough fans in the'crowds. We have not really met them off the field, but'we think they know we are there,” they said. The girls will return to the realities of a les., relaxed way ;of life after the match in Christchurch. University enrolment will prevent Miss Lucas from travelling to Auckland for the second test, while Miss Naus will be jobhunting.