Bright future for New Zealand cricket?

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 24

Bright future for New Zealand cricket?

PA . Wellington.. The future of New Zealand cricket.: is? in good hands if ’ the • form of the two youngsters in the first test side lan Smith and Martin Snedden — is anything to go by. The wicket-keeper Smith, aged 24; held all the catches —• seven — that came his way in the.test and Martin Snedden aged 22, bowled tightly and with- penetrattion to take three wickets with his medium pace bowling. ’ ... - , . Snedden, in his first test and Smith, in his second, were 4he» two players singl-

ed out by the captain, Geoff Howarth, as developing most on the 3j-month tour of Australia. Their development was obvious to the large crowds that gathered at the Basin Reserve. Smith’s agility and sureness behind the stumps lifted the New Zealand fieldperformance, and Snedden made the crucial breakthrough on Wednesday he bowled Sunil Gavaskar before lunch. • “I thought I also had him caught behind in the first innings,” said Snedden with a huge smile on his face. “We thought it would be a key wicket-in our chances

and it was a good one to get. “I thought I bowled pretty well in the match and there aren’t that many New Zealanders who make their test debut in a winning team. I was hopeful of making the final 11 because the Basin is always regarded as- a seamers’ track.” Snedden steadily established himself on the tour and, while admitting he has a long way to go, must now be regarded as one of New Zealand’s front line bowlers. . ‘ “It was a long toiir' and a great experience, and I suppose if it hadn’t been for

that last month I,would not have been playing out here.” he said, pointing , at the deserted; Basin playing area. ■ • Snedden went very close to making the third test side of the Australian tour but really came into his own in the one-day World Series Cup finals bowling a tight line and picking up - wickets. “It’s fabulous playing one-day cricket, quite exciting and perhaps with more pressure thaw test cricket,” .• he said. // Smith ; was also bubbling over with. New Zealand’s fourth' test win oh the'

Basin Reserve. “I’m elated to play in a winning team,” he said. Equalling the New Zealand test wicket-keeping record of seven dismissals in a match did not mean as much to Smith as the win. “I am more pleased from the team point of view,” he said. Smith, a, Rongotai College old boy, now lives in Hastings and plays for Central Districts. The New Zealand wicketkeeper’s record was established by Artie Dick against South Africa at Durban in 1961-62. Auckland’s. Roy

Harford equalled it against India at the Basin in 196768. Smith has been luckier than Harford. Harford was dropped for John Ward for the next test while Smith has already been named in the 12 for the second test in Christchurch. " - Test debuts in winning teams have come a lot more frequently for New Zealanders of late. John Wright and Stephen Boock'did it in 1977-78 against England at the Basin, and. the Aucklander, Peter Webb, was a member of the team that beat the West Indies at Carisbrook last season,