Cold comfort for N.Z. cricketers?

Press, 21 December 1978, Page 28

Cold comfort for N.Z. cricketers?

There may be only cold comfort for some New Zealand cricketers in an announcement from the Test and County Cricket Board in London that there will be full covering of pitches in test matches in England in 1979.

The board has yielded to persistent pressure from overseas to have test pitches covered. The rule applying in England until now is that once play has started, pitches are left uncovered during rain until play is formally abandoned for the day. During the New Zealand tour this year. New Zealand's way in the Trent Bridge test was made the harder by a strange umpiring decision. On the third morning New Zealand resumed its innings in near darkness, and only two balls were bowled before the umpires halted play.

But that meant the covers could not be put on, and there was steady drizzle for a couple of hours, play not being resumed until midafternoon.

The New Zealand Board of Control has also received advice of the conditions of employment of the young New Zealand cricketer who will be sent next year to join the ground staff at Lord's. Nominations for the post will close at the end of this year.

The selected player — under 20 years of age — will have various duties on the ground at times, such as selling scorecards or helping with pitch covers. But he will also receive concentrated coaching, and is likely to play up th 30 matches, against county second elevens, minor counties, representative teams of young cricketers from overseas, and schools. The choice of the New Zealand player will be made by the national selection committee.