Lancashire game delayed

Press, 8 August 1978, Page 6

Lancashire game delayed

NZPA Manchester The resumption of the New Zealanders match with Lancashire at Old Trafford was delayed yesterday morning. There had been heavy rain on Sunday and during the night and the wicket block was saturated, although the pitch was covered. The umpires announced that (they would make an inspection at midday, half an hour after the scheduled time, but about 11 a.m. thick drizzle set in and the prospects of any play before lunch looked remote. On the first dav New Zealand scored 241 for five wickets declared and Lancashire made 15 without loss. Richard Hadlee went to a Manchester hospital yesterday morning to have further treatment | for his back injury. Hadlee, who

has appeared in only four of the 10 first-class matches played since he first sustained his injury early in the opening match at Eastbourne, played in the first test only with difficulty and bowled at considerably below his best pace. However, the New Zealand manager, Mr Barry Paterson said yesterday that Hadlee was continuing to have treatment and he hoped that Hadlee would be fit for the second test at Nottingham on Thursday. Mr Paterson said a final decision might not be made until the morning of the match. John Wright, who withdrew from the game with Lancashire because of a Virus infection of the throat, w r as responding to treatment, and there was every prospect of his being fit for the l test.