Chappell blames dropped catches

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 32

Chappell blames dropped catches

' By

JOHN COFFEY

The catching opportunities': which were missed in both; New Zealand innings cost 11 Australia victory in the test, h according to the Australian-I captain, Greg Chappell. ;i Speaking a few minutes! after stumps had been drawn, i i Chappell said he was disap-h pointed with the result. “We should have won it, h but we threw our chances away. Our fielding over then whole five days was not al- 1

I ways up to standard, and the I catching was poor.” Chappell said. “This aspect of our play I has cost us victory in two of jour last four tests, the other being th® first against Pakistan earlier this season.” Ironically, the Australians i have surprised observers with 'their enthusiasm towards fitness training and the amount [of time spent on sharpening up their reactions. But Bevan i Congdon was dropped by Gary Gilmour and Rick Mc-

jjCosker on his way to 107 II not out. and his partner in I the unbroken ninth-wicket /‘stand, Dayle Hadlee, was put fidown by Alan Turner. rj “You cannot afford to give -i anyone two chances in test ! cricket,” Chappell said when stasked about the “lives” alijlowed Congdon. “The New -j Zealand batsmen performed t as they should at this level, ’ putting their heads down and 71 fighting out every ball in each j | innings. -i “I did not think, that New

Zealand would win, although it was in a good position at one stage. However, 350 is a lot to chase and mistakes have to be made. Max Walker worked hard for us: his was a great spell of bowling,” Chappell said. The New Zealand captain, Glenn Turner, considered that his team came out of it reasonably well, considering Australia’s first innings total of 552. “There was even a glimImer of victory, especially at

iltea. The chase was called off’ tjwhen Warren Lees was out,[: i[but we will go into the sec-1 siond test with increased confiridence. Unfortunately, there is[> si usually less likelihood of a( ’[result' at Auckland than ath Christchurch,” Turner said. > [, It was vial for New Zeat land that either of the unbea- ■ - ten batsmen at tea, Congdon j ? or Mark Burgess, batted! ® through until the finish, and! Turner praised Congdon’s! t rearguard action as “an inn- 1

lings which saved us from defeat.” Congdon said afterwards [that he -was “not too weary” [after his long term at the [crease. “It looked for a time i as if we were in with a jchance of winning, but DenInis Lillee ruined that in one [over. There was certainly [plenty of drama. “The Australian bowling [was very accurate, and, although it was not too hard to jstay out there, it was difficult I to score,” Congdon said. He

agreed that his innings f®' into a flat patch for a whi’ in the last period.

When asked how mar more years he would contim in test cricket, Congdon r* plied, “I did not hear tha’ It is a bit like my batting [you never know what comes t next.”

After agreeing that, at 39 years of age, he was probably the oldest player in test cricket, Congdon added that “some of the younger ones are catching up real fast."