Cricket’s 'big bad wolf’ to return?

Press, 5 August 1980, Page 30

Cricket’s ' big bad wolf’ to return?

The big bad wolf of West Indian cricket has maybe not, after all, huffed and puffed his last on New Zealand fields. Colin Croft, the ill-tempered fast bowler who shouldercharged the Christchurch test umpire, Fred Goodall, at Lancaster. Park, may play a first-class season for Wellington next summer. Rumours of Croft playing in Wellington have been rife in New Zealand cricketing circles for many weeks, but enquiries have met with a “don’t know;

we’ve heard the rumours, too” reaction. But yesterday, Mr E. Cooper, chairman of the Wellington Cricket Association, confirmed that Croft had made approaches to Wellington people during the third test between New Zealand and the West Indies in March. It is believed that his principal contact was John Morrison, the Wellington captain and one of its selectors. Mr Cooper qualified his remarks by indicated that Croft’s continued interest

in playing for Wellington depended on his selection for the West Indies team to tour Pakistan. There was a guarded reaction from the chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council, Mr R. A. Vance. “I am fascinated by the proposal that Croft might be engaged to play in New Zealand next season — especially in Wellington.” said Mr Vance. “l am glad to be able to say that Croft’s possible engagement is solely a decision of the Wellington

Cricket Association. He is certainly under a cloud in New Zealand, but as I have said repeatedly, the discipline of any cricketer is the sole responsibility of his country’s administration. Croft is accredited by the West Indies Board and I am prepared to accept that.

‘‘His actions in Christchurch were due to a lack of discipline and more particularly from a lack of leadership. I see his request to come back' to our country as more than the normal desire of

a cricketer wishing to fill in a couple of vacant months. “I have been asked what attitude the New Zealand Board will adopt. The answer is that if Croft fulfils the residential qualification and is not under suspension by his board, he may play cricket in New Zealand.

“Knowing the man, I would not be surprised if Croft completely redeems himself in the eyes of the New Zealand public,” Mr Vance said. .