N.Z. test victory after double gamble

Press, 17 March 1982, Page 1

N.Z. test victory after double gamble

From

JOHN COFFEY,

in Auckland Australians have long been regarded as without peer for their gambling nature, but it was a New Zealander who defied the odds at Eden Park yesterday, and Australia’s cricketing pride suffered. Geoff Howarth, the New Zealand captain, twice departed from the orthodox in guiding his team-mates to a five-wicket win over Aus-, tralia in the second test of the Rothmans series. New Zealand is no longer without some standing in international cricket, but it ' has never before pressed

home to victory in such spectacular fashion. Richard Hadlee wrecked the Australian second innings with four quick wickets, but he had to be rested after an hour, and it was then that Howarth caused the first surprise. He looked to John Morrison — hardly even a parttime bowler at this level before the match, and without a test wicket to his credit — and his left-arm spin. Morrison ignored the ugly bruising on his left shoulder and arm which had been inflicted by the Australian ' pace bowler, Len Pascoe, at Christchurch a week earlier.

to dismiss the last two batsmen for just one run. Then, with New Zealand struggling somewhat at 44 for three wickets in its quest for 104 runs and victory, Howarth sent Lance Cairns in to bat. In 32 momentous minutes and just 21 deliveries Cairns pounded New Zealand to within seven rubs of its goal. Howarth himself had sought to lift the run rate, and minimise the threat of the Australian off-spinner, Bruce Yardley. He had some success, too. but’ it was Cairns who reduced Yardley to the fielding ranks. When

- t Yardley did come back, Hadlee hit a six over midi wicket for the winning runs. I “We were not doing much t good poking around, we had , to play positively,” said s Howarth, in understatement, s afterwards. "I thought of Carisbrook (when New Zealand scraped f in over the West Indies two years ago, its last batsmen at 1 the crease in pursuit of a , similar total). But the f gamble with Lance came off , and that madb life much ; easier,” he said. ; Howarth said that he had ’ expected Greg Chappell and i Allan Border to provide stub-

:, born resistance when Aus-. - tralia resumed batting in the morning at 241 for six, 64 It runs in credit. He described I New Zealand’s breakthrough 1 as “a tremendous perform- :, ance.” Questioned about Hadlee’s , reverting to his long run-up. Howarth said it was Hadlee’s own decision — “the only pressure on him was from , the public and the news ' media.” i Howarth also defended New Zealand's decision to 1 enter the test without a I specialist spinner. The eroding state of the

pitch was Howarth’s main concern when New Zealand batted a second time. But he had been surprised by the extent of the Australian collapse. and had expected a target nearer 184 than 104. Chappell, the Australian captain, also had the pitch uppermost in his thoughts. “I was concerned from the first day that the pitch would lead to a war of attrition. It was too slow for the bowlers and too slow for the batsmen, and eventually the bowlers had to win,” he said. “Our poor batting cost us the match. If we had set

New Zealand anything in excess of 150 we had a chance. If it had been 200 I would have backed us to win. At 44 for three we probably still had a show, but promoting Cairns paid off for New Zealand.” Chappell said. Neither Howarth nor Chappell would comment on the umpiring, preferring to leave any remarks to their written reports. But Howarth cautioned, and Chappell promised, that Australia would be determined to even the series in the third test which will start at Lancaster Park on Friday. Match report, back page