Pleasant atmosphere — Gavaskar

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 28

Pleasant atmosphere — Gavaskar

f rom R. T. BRITTENDEN The New Zealand cricket team could take more pleasure from the first test than from fust winning it. The «ndian captain, Sunil Gavaskar, said after the match how pleasant the atmosphere had been during the game. “When there were interruptions, the New Zealanders and our players chatted in a friendly fashion,” he said. “This is quite different from other test matches. I can see no

problems arising on this tour.” Gavaskar was high in his praise for Geoff Howarth’s first innings century, but he felt his seam bowlers had not made the New Zealanders play at the ball nearly enough after he had won the toss and sent New Zealand in. The Indians had bowled much better in the second innings, although the New Zealanders had played some bad shots, he said. Gavaskar also said that the New Zealanders had bowled particularly well yesterday, but he was dis-

appointed that his batsmen, after getting established, had not carried on to make substantial scores. “There are a few backsides to be kicked,” he laughed, “and there are several people ready to kick mine.” The pitch was a really good one, said Gavaskar, and he was more than satisfied with the standard of the umpiring. He thought his side had some work to do, but he recalled that it had levelled the series with Australia after being beaten by a very wide margin in the first test.

India 'had also been handicapped in this match by the absence of three injured bowlers. Howarth said that at the start of the day he had thought New Zealand had a 70-30 chance of success and that ratio had increased by lunch. He commended India for its determined last-ditch stands but was pleased that the New Zealanders had “learned how to win.” Howarth won the $3OO New Zealand “man of the match” award, the prizefor the Indians going to Sandeep Patil.