Burgess backs umpires

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 42

Burgess backs umpires

Nottingham The New Zealand cricket captain, Mark Burgess, agreed with the umpires’ decision to have the players on the field for two balls on Sunday, thereby leaving the pitch uncovered. “In general I agree with what is done here with regard to pitch-covering regulations.” Burgess said. “But it does not suit our pitches, which are sticky after rain.” Burgess did

add that after the rain on the pitch, the ball had deviated more. Burgess said the New Zealand team had not done itself justice with the bat. The England team, he said, was playing very well, bowling well and catching everything in the air. In some ways, the New Zealand performance was an .mproveinent on that at the Oval, although the result was disappointing. But the team had not

thrown its wickets away as it had in the first test. “We have batted badly four times,” Burgess said. “The run-outs did not help and in that situation there was no excuse for either of them.” The England captain (Mike Brearley) commended the batting of Bruce Edgar, Geoff Howarth and John Parker and said it had seemed that England would have a long fight on its hands.