‘Fairytales’ anger manager

Press, 29 January 1982, Page 24

‘Fairytales’ anger manager

NZPA Adelaide The Australian cricket team’s manager, John Edwards, yesterday lashed out at "fairytales” reported by the media and predicted a growing split between players and the press.

His comments came at the end of a day in which speculation about the future of the Australian test captain, Greg Chappell, reached a fever pitch culminating in Chappell’s avoidance of the public and press when the Australian and West Indian teams arrived in Adelaide.

Referring to growing speculation about the reasons for Chappell’s batting slump and the possibility of his losing the captaincy, Mr Edwards said that most of what

had appeared in the media regarding Chappell had been “fairytales.” Mr Edwards categorically denied reports that the Australian captain had undergone eye tests this week in Sydney and would have fur-ther-tests in Adelaide: “Greg Chappell has never had an eye test in his life,” he said. “I would also like to say he has never visited the Peter McCallum Cancer clinic in Melbourne, nor is he seeing a marriage guidance counsellor.” The West Indies team manager, Steve Comacho, came out in support of the embattled Australian captain.

Mr Comacho said he thought it was unfortunate

that a player such as Chappell, who had given so much to Australian cricket,, should be the centre of such a controversy.

HIV vvuuv UX OUVII a controversy. “We have the greatest respect for Greg Chappell as an opposition batsman and captain,” he said. For the West Indies, Adelaide looks to be their best chance yet of beating the Australians to square the series, 1-1. The pitch, described by its curator, Les Burdett, as the best in Australia, should play evenly while rewarding the efforts of the fast bowlers. Injury worries, however, continue to plague the tourists with the wicketkeeper, David Murray, and fast bowlers, Sylvester Clarke

and Malcolm Marshall, all undergoing fitness tests today.

Murray is carrying a fractured finger, Clarke an ankle strain and Marshall a recurring back injury. The Australians on the other hand report a clean bill of health, Kim Hughes’s bruised foot apparently cleared up and no other clouds hanging over the home side’s fitness.

The Adelaide test, which starts tomorrow, may provide the launching pad for comebacks by two “hometown lads” who have seen better days. For Greg Chappell, the return to Adelaide may herald a break in the cruel run of outs which have seen him

score 22, 6, 201, 22, 0,6, 12, 0, an aggregate of 269 for a test average this season of 29.88. A former test star, David Hookes, returns with a chance to break his way back info the national side after a two-year exile, and for him there would be no better place to do it than Adelaide Oval. The Australian team is: Greg Chappell (captain), Kim Hughes (vice-captain), Mick Malone, Allan Border, John Dyson, Bruce Laird, Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh, Len Pascoe, Jeff Thomson, Graeme Wood and Bruce Yardley. The West Indies will announce their side today.