Arduous tour awaits N.Z. cricketers

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 56

Arduous tour awaits N.Z. cricketers

NZPA staff correspondent Wellington The New Zealand cricket team leaves Auckland on Tuesday for what is likely to prove its toughest trip for several years — a seven-week tour of Pakistan.

The stresses, both mental and physical, of a three-test series in Pakistan is difficult enough in itself, but this tour marks a turning point in New Zealand’s recent cricketing history. For the first time in eight years, New Zealand will go into a test match without Richard Hadlee, one of the world’s top allrounders and the striking force of New Zealand cricket.

They will also be missing the leadership of Geoff Howarth who has been at the helm since the 1979-80 West Indies series. His record as captain is so outstanding that New Zealand cannot help but be poorer for his absence.

Howarth’s captaincy record of nine wins and nine draws in 23 tests earned New Zealand five series victories, including the first against England earlier this year, and that is better than any of his 15 predecessors. Howarth was on the last tour of Pakistan in 1976, and his knowledge of conditions would have beep invaluable. His job has gone to Jeremy Coney. Coney is a player who relishes the challenge of test cricket, and the extra responsibility of captaincy is unlikely to daunt the Wellington player. His style of leadership will ensure New Zealand competes strongly, and while a drawn series will be commendable, Coney will be looking for that little bit more.

But it is the fiery, competitive bowling of Hadlee on notoriously slow, lifeless pitches that New Zealand is likely to miss most in its 10 matches in Pakistan.

The New Zealand manager, lan Taylor, said extensive preparations had been made for the tour in an attempt to make it less arduous.

“ But we realise it’s still going to be a very difficult tour, especially as we won’t have Howarth and Hadlee with us,” he said. Three bowlers, all of whom are touring Zimbabwe with Young New Zealand at present, have been added to the squad.

Martin Snedden has been recalled after being left out of the mid-year tour to Sri Lanka; Derek Stirling, another pace bowler, gets a further opportunity to tour after failing to be selected for a test in Sri Lanka; and John Bracewell makes up the contingent of three spin bowlers, a luxury New Zealand rarely allow itself.

But it is to Snedden, or possibly Stirling, that New Zealand might look to open the bowling in place of Hadlee.

While both have impressed on the tour of Zimbabwe, they will have little time to show their skills in the different environment of Pakistan, because New Zealand’s preparation there is limited before the first test starts on November 17.

The short build-up in Pakistan is likely to be New Zealand’s most difficult problem. With only two week-ends of domestic cricket, most of the side will have to adjust from a cool spring to a hot climate with temperatures of 30deg. C.

Fortunately, six of the tourists will have had the advantage of gaining match fitness in Zimbabwe. Besides the three bowlers announced on Monday, Jeff Crowe, Bruce Edgar and Paul McEwan are in the Young New Zealand side. For the rest, a three-day warm-up game against an Auckland XI this week-end, and two one-day matches against Sri Lanka next week will be all they have before arriving in Pakistan on November 5.

There, the hosts have arranged one three-day game and two one-day matches, including an international, before the first test.

And there is only another limited-overs international before the second test, little time to adapt and for team selectors to appraise form. While New'' Zealand is scrambling for all the practice it can get, Pakistan is involved at present in a three-test series at home to India, and its players should be in top form by the time New Zealand arrives.