Cricketers end tour on high note

Press, 5 September 1983, Page 18

Cricketers end tour on high note

NZPA Scarborough Magnificent catching helped the New Zealand cricketers finish their England tour on a high note on Saturday when they beat Brian Close’s XI by 119 runs at Scarborough. The galeforce wind led to hot drinks on the field and to the bails being abandoned, but the Arctic conditions did not affect the New Zealanders’ fielding.

Trevor Franklin and Martin Crowe took two superb catches apiece, and the ground fielding was also of the highest calibre.

The win maintained the New Zealanders’ unbeaten record outside the tests.

They finished the tour with eight wins, three losses and four draws in their 15 matches. England won the test series, 3-1.

Only the bitterly cold weather looked likely to deny Geoff Howarth’s team victory when the final day started with the home team 12 for one and chasing an improbable target of 385. But solid middle-order batting from seasoned former internationals, Collis King, John Hampshire, and Mushtaq Mohammad kept the Close Xi’s hopes alive before a final flurry of wickets saw it slump to defeat.

King, banned from test cricket after his part in the West Indian rebel’s tour of

South Africa, hit a lively 26, Hampshire top-scored with 13 4s in his 85, and Mushtaq, the former Pakistani captain, was unbeaten on 60. Martin Crowe, who hit a century in addition to his two catches, returned the best bowling figures, taking three for 72 with his medium-pacers, while the left-arm spinner, Evan Gray, captured three for 88. SC ° re ‘ NEW ZEALAND First innings 292 Second innings 247/6 dec. BRIAN CLOSE’S XI First innings 155 Second innings . Sadiq Mohammad b Tracy: 35 Kirti Azad c Gray b Snedden 1 R. W. Taylor b M. D. Crowe 22 C. L. King c M. D. Crowe b Howarth 26 J. H. Hampshire c Edgar b M. D. Crowe 85 Mushtaq Mohammad not out 60 R. Harper lbw b M. D. Crowe 5 D. B. Close c and b Gray 1 F. D. Stevenson c M. D. Crowe b Edgar .... 19 J. P. Agnew c Franklin b Gray 1 M. R. Whitney c Franklin b Gray 1 Extras 9 Total 265 Fall: 5, 58, 64, 188, 202, 218, 221, 248, 261. Bowling: M. J. Snedden 9,2, 22,1; S. J. Tracy 8,1, 21,1; E. J. Gray 27, 5, 88, 3; G. P. Howarth 11, 0, 36, 1; M. D. Crowe, 16, 2, 72, 3; B. A. Edgar 5,0, 17, 1.