Radio man defends tourists

Press, 21 February 1980, Page 28

Radio man defends tourists

A strong defence of the West Indies team, on and off ' the field, was offered yesterday by Mr Reds Perreira, .'the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s cricket commentator, who i«s touring with the West Indies team and is on Radio New Zealand’s cricket panel. “A minority of the New Zealand news media are amplifying a lot of negative things” he said. “This is obviously having an effect on how New Zealand people are seeing the West Indies team. “The tourists have ’ not played their best cricket yet” he said, “but with.. ' the calibre of the players it has, the team will come out of its present cloud. “The players are adjusting, but the main problem has been the batting on pitches which are lower, slower, and of more uneven bounce then they are used to,” Mr Perreira said. “You really have to concentrate here.”

But apart from the cricket, he • said, so many things were being interpreted as slights by New Zealand hosts. “In the match at Auckland, the West Indies could have closed up the game much earlier, but secondary bowlers were used to give the crowd more cricket. Yet one writer accused the team of a lack-lustre attitude, and Michael Holding of not making much effort. Holding certainly does, not have a casual approach—it is just his way.

“In Wellington there was a story that the West Indies had made a hole in a dressing room. If was a fabricated stdry—the hole was there before the game started—but these things have got into the minds of the average. New Zealander.

“Spme ■ people complain about the West Indies’ not signing autographs. I have seen, hundreds signed on this tour. But . unless our players leave their, hotel wearing big broad smiles and still have them when they come back, they are regarded as ~ unfriendly . and ■ unappreciative of hospitality.” Mr Perreira said that the game of Hamilton could not have been more pleasant—it was' a great spectacle and the best spirit of the game was maintained.

“The gates for the tour have been fantastic and at Wellington a West Indies player gave a Wellington official his stereo-cassette player as a gift,' in appreciation of the hospitality,” he said.

“Let’s hope these unfounded criticisms die away,” Mr Perreira said. “Those looking for -sensational stories might concentrate on writing about the cricket. One of the things which keeps coming up is that the West Indies alleged behaviour might be connected vyith “Packer rricket And there is.the.,so=fcalled hostile appealing. That was common 50 years before Packer cricket.” The West Indians had always been the. most popular of .teams wherever they had been, Mr Perreira said. “They play attractive cricket, they are very approachable, and socialise naturally. How come, all of a sudden, this team. is . supposed to be unfriendly and unappreciative?

“As soon as this test starts, and the West Indies batting machine starts stroking the ball away, I think we are going to forget the negative and in some cases manufactured stories.”