Turner relaxed over outcome of today’s clash

Press, 14 January 1986, Page 40

Turner relaxed over outcome of today’s clash

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney New Zealand’s cricket manager, Glenn Turner, does not consider this evening’s crunch World Series Cup clash against high flying Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground as crucial.

“It would be comfortable if we won, but it’s not crucial,” said Turner yesterday. A near-record crowd of over 45,000 is expected for the $lO,OOO World Series Cup match on a billiard table batting wicket. Prizemoney from the washed-out New ZealandAustralia match at Melbourne last Thursday has been carried over to tonight’s big game, which might get near the 52,053 top attendance recorded for the Australia-West Indies match in 1982. Jeff Crowe gets his first game and the all-rounder, Bruce Blair, and mediumpacer, Martin Snedden, were left out of the 12 for the second day-nighter. Australian cricket euphoria has spread like a bushfire after Sunday’s dramatic win over India at the Gabba in Brisbane. Greg Matthews, the batting star of a side in a summer of disappointment for Australia, is fast becoming the nation’s latest folk hero.

He has been mobbed by autograph hunters wherever he goes and said of the

Gabba crowd support on Sunday: “The chanting was an honour, I would have liked to stop the game for a minute to listen — it’s rare you get that sort of thrill.” Turner, however, cares not for the bouncy Australians and obviously still rates India the better oneday side. “We played fairly well in the last two games and ended up with just one point so I’m not unhappy with the way we are playing,” said Turner. “One of the good things about this competition is that you play 10 games and if you feel that you are better than the opposition, you will come through in the long run. We’re relying on that.” Turner said there were enough positive features of the loss at Brisbane to encourage the team to beat Australia. Dropped catches let India off the hook at the Gabba but the New Zealand bowling attack has to shape up as well.

The seamers, Richard Hadlee, Ewen Chatfield and Stuart Gillespie, have to

average less than 40 runs off each of their 10 overs and the other bowlers must contain the unpredictable Australians as best as possible. Gillespie has adequately filled the gap in the attack left by Lance Cairns and at times has appeared the sharpest, if not always the most accurate, of the New Zealand fast bowlers. Turner is happy with the batting, not least of all Martin Crowe, and is hoping that John Wright and John Reid will get back among the runs tonight. More importantly, he will be seeking a faster run rate for the fall of less than three wickets in the first 15 overs of fielding restrictions. New Zealand registered the third-highest score at the Gabba on Saturday only to fritter away its advantage to the Indian batting barrage. The forecast is for cloudy and warm weather in Sydney today and the New Zealanders will be praying that the only thunder they

hear will be out in the middle from their bowlers.