Test defeat ‘humiliation’

Press, 16 February 1978, Page 6

Test defeat ‘humiliation’

NZPA staff correspondent London English cricket descended to the bottom of the pit with the first test win by New Zealand in Wellingon, Alex Bannister said in yesterday’s “Daily Mail." “The years of cynical self- ; interest by the counties in ’seeking the easy way out by recruiting overseas stars ; welled into the humilitation lof Wellington,” he wrote. The historic New Zealand win came in time for most of Britain’s national morning [newspapers to carry the story, but those whose early deadlines forced them to miss :the result were taking it as 'read anyway!

Bannister said England’s batting is woeful and nothing has been learned on the tour excent that it is a oneman band. The former test player. Peter Laker, in London, said on television that New Zealand deserved its win “after I vears of trying” and in the “Daily Mirror” he said the test meant that the ever complicated world of Geoff Boycott had turned vet another somersault. But Laker said in the television interview that he was sure Boycott would not have taken the decision to put New Zealand in without first consulting the manager, Mr Ken Barrington.

He added: “There was some vindication for him because the New Zealand captain said he would have put England in if he had won the toss.” Henry Calthorpe wrote in the “Financial Times” that conditions during the match had conspired against England. But if Boycott had pushed the ball around more in England’s first innings. England might have needed 50 or 60 runs less.

Calthorpe said the umpires had been amazingly lax in their attitude to fast bowlers following through on the pitch. Henry Blofeld in the “Guardian” called it a splen-

idid performance by New (Zealand. But he said there was always a possibility the ; pitch yould break up and it [was not helped by the fast bowlers being allowed to ' run down the centre in their ; follow-through. ' “They’ve done it at last.” ! — that was the pleased ; reaction of Glenn Turner I yesterday to New Zealand's | historic win. “It’s amazing it's taken <o long, though,” he said from jhis Worcester home. “We’ve 'been so close on manv I occasions. But I’m thrilled I the breakthrough finally I came.” Turner sympathised with apparent problems of fast I bowlers running on to the j pitch in their followithroughs. but added: “It I sounded as if there were 22 Ivards of problems. We ‘haven't played on a good itrack there for years.”

A group of Napier cricket supporters did not forget to thank one of the men indirectly responsible for New Zealand’s victory, the Press Association reported. In a cablegram to the rebel cricket boss, Mr Kerry Packer, in Sydney, they said: "Thanks for your help in aiding New Zealand to their first ever win over the Poms.”