N.Z. personalities

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 19

N.Z. personalities

Tomorrow Mark Burgess will become the ninth New Zealand player to

lead his country against England at Lancaster Park. It will be his 40th test appearance in a career which began against India in 1968 with a half-century. He has become one of New Zealand’s most attractive batsmen in the last 20 years, scoring five test centuries, at an average of 32.6. Naturally enough, Burgess is remembered for two of his centuries; - one which almost single-hand-edly saved a test series for New Zealand and the other which helped bring New Zealand to the verge of what would have been a first win over England. In 1969 in Pakistan, New Zealand led 1-0, with one test remaining at Dacca. On the final day New Zealand lost four quick wickets, making it 101 for eight, a lead over Pakistan of 84, two wickets remaining and 281 minutes to play. Burgess and Bob Cunis then batted gallantly for over two and a half hours, adding 96 runs and depriving Pakistan of a chance to level the test series, Burgess finished unbeaten on 119. At Lord’s in 1973, New Zealand was 10 for two in its first innings replying to England’s 253 before Congdon with a defiant 175, Hastings 86, Burgess a brilliant 105 and Vic Pollard an energetic 105, gave New Zealand the chance to declare at 551

for nine, a chance it almost turned into an historic test win.

In this test, Burgess and Pollard shared a sixth wicket stand of 117, a record for New Zealand against England. The Wellington test was a triumph for Richard Collinge as much as it was for Burgess in his first test as captain. Collinge took the opportunity to capture his 100th test wicket, finishing the match with six for 77.

He became the third New Zealander to take 100 test wickets and seems to have the national record, held by Bruce Taylor (111) well within his reach in the next two tests. His test career began in somewhat spectacular fashion against Pakistan in 1964-65. In the three tests, he took 15 wickets including that of the fabled Hanif on all five occasions he was dismissed. He shares the world record for the 10th wicket with Hastings, a stand of 151 against Pakistan in 1973 at Auckland, his contribution being 68 not out. Before the test in Wellington, Richard Hadlee trailed his brother, Dayle, by 10 wickets in tests. Now they have 71 each. Unless he was to suffer

the misfortune to break down in the next few seasons, Richard . Hadlee should go on to break Taylor or Collinge’s record. He has become a personality of New Zealand cricket in a short space of time. His performance at Auckland against the Australians last year with both the bat and the ball firmly installed him as New Zealand cricket’s most magnetic player.