Howarth’s team sure of place in cricket history

Press, 2 September 1983, Page 17

Howarth’s team sure of place in cricket history

An historic first test win on English soil, an unblemished record against the counties and the exhilarating all-round form of Richard Hadlee made Geoff Howarth’s 1983 tourists the most successful New Zealand cricket side ever to tour England. The New Zealanders lost the series, 3-1, making them, on paper at least, arguably inferior to Walter Hadlee’s 1949 side, which drew each of its four three-day tests and lost only one other match. But Howarth’s team will be forever remembered as

the side which finally won a test in England against its oldest opponents, an honour that eluded eight previous teams including Hadlee’s. In addition, it had five successive wins over English country sides, admittedly often well below normal strength, and won plaudits from critics and crowds alike for the excellent spirit in which it played its cricket.

Finally, in Richard Hadlee, son of Walter, and deservedly named man of the series, it possessed not only the finest bowler New Zealand has ever produced but one of world cricket’s great contemporary all-rounders. New Zealand has always been the cricket establishment’s poor relation, ignored almost completely by its Australian neighbours until 10 years ago and providing merely cannon fodder for a succession of England sides in the 1950 s and 60s.

But in the last five years with the general levelling up in world standards, the increasing presence of New Zealand players in English cricket and a growing pro-

fessionalism and pride in the players themselves, New Zealand has developed into worthy test opponents for any side. Much of the credit goes to Howarth, who has matured into one of test cricket’s more astute captains, particularly in the one-day internationals which have proliferated over recent years.

Howarth was seen at his best in New Zealand’s fivewicket win at Headingley when he manipulated a rather ordinary attack brillantly, and maintained maximum pressure on the England batsmen with his canny field placings. That win, astonishingly achieved without Hadlee taking a wicket, was a tribute to the best qualities of the present New Zealand team — teamwork, determination and the ability to make the most of the resources available.

But, as they showed at Headingley, a well-led side containing at least a sprinkling of world class players such as Hadlee and the opener, John Wright, can win on its merits.

The importance of Hadlee to the New Zealand side can

not be overestimated. Bowling exclusively off his short run, he now looks the complete pace bowler while his free-flowing lefthand batting has blossomed since the advent of helmets. His support was varied. Lance Cairns, who took seven wickets to destroy England’s first innings at Headingley, was an invaluable stock bowler with his variations on the theme of honest inswing.

John Bracewell looked a talented, if inexperienced, off spinner, Ewen Chatfield was a conscientious but ordinary-looking seamer, and the medium-pacer, Martin Snedden, in his only test, was simply too inaccurate.

The batting also suffered from the lack of another high-class player in the middle order, and from Howarth’s failure to make the high scores a player of his talent and experience should have recorded.

John Wright, until he was injured before the fourth test, Bruce Edgar and Jeremy Coney, the tall Wellington amateur with the professional approach, were the pick in the tests while a special mention should be reserved for Martin Crowe.

Crowe showed a technique and maturity well beyond his 20 years in the middle order, but he has yet to score a 50 in 12 test innings and it remains to be seen if he will fulfil his considerable promise. New Zealand has always depended on a small pool of cricketing talent — the recurrence of family names such as Hadlee, Bracewell and Snedden over the years illustrates this — and replacements for Hadlee and Howarth at least will be needed before very long. By John Mehaffey, Reuters.