Hughes wins few friends

Press, 14 March 1984, Page 56

Hughes wins few friends

NZPA-AAP Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad The Australian captain, Kim Hughes, won few friends at Point-a-Pierre yesterday when he turned the match against Trinidad and Tobago at Guaracara Park into a farce. Hughes refused to chase a target of 189 runs from 23 overs but played out the match to a bitter conclusion. He refused to call an early halt to the non-action and played only two scoring shots, a six and a four, in his 75 minute innings. The Australian captain said he had played the innings as a protest against the lack of imagination of the opposing captain, Rangy Nanan, in not setting the ; Australians a reasonable target. The Australians scored 56 for the loss of Greg Matthews’ wicket from the 23 overs of cricketing nonsense. It was obvious during his innings that Hughes’ batting partners, Matthews and Wayne Phillips, knew of his plans. At one stage Matthews stood well behind the crease with his pants down adjusting his thigh pad while Hughes faced one delivery. Phillips sat down during a complete over and in the last over, took off his pads and tucked them under his arm while Hughes blocked six successive deliveries. It was a disappointing ending. In fact, it was a disappointing match. Hughes said his team would have had an attempt at a target if they had been given 30 or 40 minutes plus 20 overs.

“I was disappointed that they didn’t show a bit more imagination,” Hughes said. “I couldn’t see the point in their last batsman coming in when there was hardly any chance of them losing. If we were given a realistic target we’d have had a go no matter what.” A ninth-wicket partnership of 50 in 29 minutes between Nanan and Harold Joseph immediately after tea cost Australia any chance of victory. The 36 minutes play lost either side of lunch did not help.

There were not many people watching the final session, but they made their feelings towards Hughes’ display crystal clear. They booed and jeered for the last 30 minutes and slow handclapped the Australian captain as he left the field.