Morrison upset

Press, 6 February 1982, Page 60

Morrison upset

The Wellington cricket captain, John Morrison, did not have a happy trip to Christchurch yesterday for his side’s Shell Cup final with Canterbury at Lancaster Park today. It was a rough ride from Rongotai and when he reached his hotel he. was shown a newspaper report reprinted from Wellington which suggested he and his team were upset at having to play Canterbury. He was quoted as saying it was “ridiculous” that Wellington should have to play a final having won all five cup games and the next best sides having had three victories. He was also quoted as saying that his team had to go to Christchurch with nothing to gain but everything to lose, that he was “rapt” that Wellington had beaten everyone and that Wellington should have the cup. Morrison is an easy-going man, but he was upset about

the report. He said that after Wellington had beaten Auckland at Eden Park some three weeks ago it had been suggested light-heartedly, in the social post-match atmosphere of the dressing room, that Wellington had already earned the cup by beating every other side. No reporter was present, he said. Whoever had written the article in Wellington had had it second hand.

“This is most upsetting,” Morrison said. “All along I, arid the members of the team, have been fully aware of the rules of the competition which bring together the two top teams at the end of the five preliminary rounds. “I have a good relationship with the Canterbury captain, Cran Bull, and the Wellington team has a good relationship with Canterbury. There is no rancour about this final. We look forward to a good and exciting game in which anything could happen.”