England captain to be rested for Otago match

Press, 26 January 1984, Page 30

England captain to be rested for Otago match

NZPA staff correspondent Dunedin The English cricket captain, Bob Willis, will not play in his team’s three-day match against Otago, which will begin in Dunedin tomorrow.

The 34-year-old fast bowler has elected to rest after appearing in his side’s four previous games in New Zealand. Willis appeared in threeday matches against Auckland, Central Districts and Northern Districts, then bowled 56 overs in two innings during the drawn first test at Wellington which ended on Tuesday. He admitted some weariness after that match and will now rest in preparation for the second test which begins at Lancaster Park on February 3. W’illis’s deputy, David Gower, appears likely to take over as captain for the coming match. Gower has already led England in one match on its joint tour of Fiji, New Zealand and Pakistan, against the Fijians earlier this month. The English team has not been finalised but the makeup has been given at least vague shape. lan Botham, like Willis,

will be rested for the match. He slightly strained a hamstring high up on his leg while bowling on the fourth day of the test match and is being allowed time to recover before the crucial second international. For that reason, he may also miss the tourists’ oneday game against Otago at Molyneux Park in Alexandra on Monday. The four players who were omitted from England’s test 11 at Wellington are also guaranteed matches in Dunedin, while a number of better performed test candidates will share the rest period. Sidelined at Wellington were the fast bowlers, Norman Cowans and Graham Dilley, the spinner, Vic Marks, and the opening batsman, Graeme Fowler. The selection of the three bowlers in this match ensures England’s attack is already partially filled, so the test spinner, Nick Cook, can rest along with Willis.

The medium-pacer, Neil Foster, might have to play again and some of the tourists’ part-time bowlers will be able to shore up the attack. Fowler will re-enter the side allowing the opener, Chris Tavare, his first break on tour if, indeed, the tourists do not opt once more to include three openers. The form of Tavare and Chris Smith at Wellington was disappointing and so both would benefit from match practice before the second test. Fowler, however, was in good form when dropped at Wellington and is assured of a match against Otago. Bob Taylor will once more keep wicket and therefore will make his fifth straight appearance in New Zealand. He is expected to rest during the one-day match at Alexandra in which Fowler will take the gloves.