Sports features Control, care gave N.Z. cricketers points win

Press, 15 March 1980, Page 20

Sports features Control, care gave N.Z. cricketers points win

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

If the West Indies’ complaints about this and that tended to take a little of the gloss from New Zealand’s first win in a home cricket rubber, it was still a most meritorious performance. In three tests which put particular emphasis on seam bowling, New Zealand batted with more purpose and bowled better than their illustrious opponents. A cricket test does not consist of one day’s play, or one period of play in a day. Yet if there were a points system on each period, New Zealand would have been a clearer winner than its one-nil match result might suggest. It came out on top in 24 periods of play to 14, with the others rained out, or left on even terms. There is no escaping the fact that the luck was with New Zealand in this series. At Dunedin, Clive Lloyd made the wrong decision in batting after he had won the toss. In the other two Geoff Howarth won, and was able to give his bowlers the best of opportunities to take wickets.

The West Indies were without Viv Richards, probably the best batsman, in the world. Glenn Turner and Mark Burgess, two of New Zealand’s most experienced and able players, were also out of the series.

New Zealand’s test team derived considerable confidence from its win in the one-day match at Christchurch. This was a

game the West Indies probably lost because they thought they had it won. Under pressure, they faltered; and such declines occurred again during the test matches.

No-one would suggest after this series, that New Zealand has suddenly emerged as a strong cricketing country. The facts were that the West

Indies were not good enough to adapt to New Zealand conditions, and that New Zealand’s limita-

tions were not fully exposed. Here again, there was a strong element of • good fortune, as well as good management. Because of the timing of innings, an interruption because of rain or light, Howarth was able to get through the three match series _ with three bowlers, Richard Hadlee, Gary Troup and Lance Cairns. These three bowled 477 overs. Jeremy Coney be -vied in only one match — 32 overs.' Stephen Boock had 50 overs, but 18 of these were in the West Indies second innings at Christchurch, when they mattered little. So Howarth was able to work his three main bowl-, ers about successfully. The demands on them were very considerable, and they responded nobly. How would they have fared, however, if the West Indies had been bat-

ting second in the last two tests? New Zealand’s biggest bonus was in the performance of Troup. When the tests started, he was in the side because he looked

the best of what was available to assist Hadlee. At the end of the series, he had established himself as a top-line test performer.

He showed tremendous heart, as well as skill, bowling only two balls fewer than Hadlee, for 10

more runs and one fewer wicket. He kept his line immaculately, and on the most inconsiderate of pitches' was able to get a ball up sharply now and then. His was a tremendous performance. Hadlee' kept breaking records and he has thoroughly earned his place at. the top. A damaged left ankle did not prevent him from worrying the West Indians every time he bowled. Cairns lapsed in length and line now and .then, but also did a thoroughly good job, with his wickets at Christchurch, a rather fortunate but very popular reward for his efforts. Boock had nothing to bowl on, but was not at his best.

The West Indies may complain about the bowlers’ trials with umpires, but their own first-innings test scores of. 140, 228 and 220 spell out New Zea-

land’s good use of first day pitches. The Wes Indies batsmen, so reluctant to get on the front foot, did not play the moving ball well.

New Zealand’s batsmen also struggled, against bowling, short of a length, which was often venomous. But the West Indians would have done better had tthey kept the ball up more regularly. They were uncomfortable, but it was only when Joel Garner bowled a full length at Auckland that wickets really tumbled.

John Wright scored few runs in the series, but he made a very important contribution by hanging on, fairly regularly, until, the shine, had gone or was going. He batted nine hours for his 83. runs. Bruce Edgar, as courageous a youngster as New Zealand has had, was in for 141 hours in all, for his 241 runs. Scoring swiftly was very difficult, but the style was there, as well as adhesiveness.

Coney and Howarth played important innings, and there were many excellent contributions from the lower order batsmen. One of New Zealand’s, strengths was its determined fielding, which lapsed .only once, briefly at : Auckland. The performance in the field was born of team spirit. Howarth was an inspiring and able captain. It was the utmost credit to him that the team came through a dramatic and demanding series so well.