Comments from the captains

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 40

Comments from the captains

It was difficult to tell the winning captain (Geoff Howarth) from his losing counterpart (Javed Miandad) after yesterday’s match at Lancaster Park.

Howarth agreed it was very satisfying to have an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Rothmans Cup series, but said the series could have been clinched more convincingly.

“We relaxed out there, and I was a little concerned as Rameez and Dalpat batted so well,” said Howarth. “I thought our score was 15 to 20 short of the maximum, but would be enough. They should have got nowhere near us.”

It was no disgrace to lose to such an accomplished and experienced side as New Zealand, said Miandad, who had plenty of praise for his young players. Miandad said Pakistan was short of lower-order batsmen capable of greatly increasing the scoring rate, while his bowling resources would be strengthened by the inclusion of Rashid Khan and Imran Khan in the one-day series in Melbourne.

Although Pakistan would have been chasing a target of about 240 but for the fatally expensive last over it spent in the field, Miandad believed a win was possible. But the loss of three early wickets set his side back on its heels, and he believed all was lost when both he and Zaheer Abbas were, dismissed at 105.