Troup to fill gap in cricket team

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 24

Troup to fill gap in cricket team

Eastbourne The strongly-built Auckland left-arm seam bowler, Gary Troup, will join the touring New Zealand cricket team for its match against Sussex, which starts on Sunday (N.Z. time). Troup, 25, is playing as a professional in the Bradford league. He was invited to play in the Sussex match by the New Zealand manager, Mr Barry Paterson, and his acceptance will help starve off a bowling crisis in the New Zealand team.

The arrangement is that Troup will play in just the one match. His only previous New Zealand appearances were during the tour of India and Pakistan in 1976. Today the latest bowler to join the injured list, Richard Hadlee, will go to London to see a specialist. His condition is a matter of much conern. It has been indicated to Mr Paterson that there is a possibility of Hadlee’s back-muscle complaint being overcome by cortisone injections, in which case his absence from the team might be for little more than a week. But if the specialists find that this cannot be done, Hadlee is likely to be out of action for several weeks. The Sussex match is a vital one for Dayle Hadlee, who will have a chance to discover whether his back injury will prevent him from bowling to his full capabilities. Brendon Bracewell is not sufficiently recovered to be considered for the Sussex match but there are now hopes that the fourth injured bowler, Graeme Thomson, will be available for selection. Radio New Zealand’s National Programme will carry some commentary on the matches against Sussex at Hove and Middlesex at Lord’s, via the 8.8. C. World Service transmission, Radio New Zealand announced this week. The periods of play to be covered are from 12.15 a.m. to 12.35 a.m. (N.Z. time) and from 5.09 a.m. to 5.35 a.m. New Zealand versus Sussex may be heard from the National Programme on June 25, 27 and 28, and the Middlesex game on July 9, 11 and 12. The English press which assembled at Eastbourne yesterday to see the New Zealanders begin the first major match of their tour probably came to the conclusion that the batting has possibilities but that the bowling is limited. To reach a total of 269 after losing both opening batsmen at 19 was a reasonably good achievement against D. H. Robins’s Young England XI, but concentration wavered whene-

ver the tourists looked like taking control. But there was a splendid innings from young Bruce Edgar, who looked a topclass batsman. He did not merely resist. He coolly took all the runs offering and was so calm and relaxed that it was startling to see him go from six to 54 with boundary strokes. He hit 13 balls in all. There was much defensive bowling to Mark Burgess, but he was able to get forward often enough to hit seven handsome boundaries and his stand of 89 in 76min with Edgar was delightful. Bevan Congdon batted fluently and there was a distinct look of youtl) about bis innings. His footwork against the slow bowlers was good until he went well down the pitch to the offspinner John Barclay apd was beaten by what looked like an arm ball. John Parker, slower than the others, looked safe and sound until he followed an outswinger rather carelessly. Jock Edwards had the satisfaction of hitting the first

l[six but he was out making a (rather airy wave at a ball outside his off-stump to give Graeme Gooch, the test opener, one of his four slip catches. Robins’s XI made 65 for I one in 75min. Gooch and | Bill Athey had little difficultly with an attack weakened I by the absence of Richard Hadlee. Cairns was expensive at first but later set- , tied to a better line and he had Athey brilliantly caught , by Burgess at second slip. NEW ZEALAND First innings ’ J. G. Wright b Thomas 14 • R. W. Anderson c Athey b Tavlor 4 B. A. Edgar lbw b Graveney 56 M. G. Burgess a Gooch b 1 Thomas .. 50 !B. E. Congdon b Barclay .. 38 i J. M. Parker c French b . Taylor 32 1 G. N. Edwards c Gooch b Taylor J 4 , R. J. Hadlee e Gooch b Thomas .. . 21 > B. L. Cairns e French b Graveney 13 ,J. M. Mclntyre lbw b Thomas I ’ S. L. Boock not out I Extras (b 4 lbl7, wl. nb3) 25 I Total 269 1 Fall: 19. 19, 108. 134, 197, 234, . 256 268 I “ Bowling. -Tavlor, 17, 2, 62. 3; ■ Thomas. 18.5, 4, 64. 4; Cooper, 8. ■ 1, 28. 0- Graveney, 23, 9, 44, 2; > Gooch, 10. 3, 24, 0; Barclay, 7,1, I 22, 1. D. H. ROBINS’S XI First innings 'G. A. Gooch not out .. 25 ! C. W. J. Athey c Burgess b Cairns .. .. 31 B. N. French not out .. .-. 2 I Extras (4b, 21b, Inb) .. 7 Total for one wicket 65 Fall: 62. Bowling: R. Hadlee 2, 1. 5,0: ’ Cairns, 13, 3, 33, 1; Congdon, ; 18, 5, 20, 0.

From R.T. Brittenden On tour for the N.Z.RA.