Coney may change policy in crucial game against India

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 80

Coney may change policy in crucial game against India

NZPA staff correspondent Launceston The New Zealand captain, Jeremy Coney, may change his old policy and bat first if he wins the toss against India in the World Series Cup cricket mini-final at Launceston tomorrow.

The 10 a.m. toss at the Northern Tasmania ground could play a leading part in the outcome if the wicket is not suitable for a one-dayer. If past Kiwi-Indian games are a guide, the side batting second has won every time. New Zealand has lost to India twice, batting first, and won twice chasing runs. “Earlier in the series there was too much influence placed on the toss as the wickets were giving the bowlers a lot of assistance,” Coney said. New Zealand has won only three tosses in nine games and did not make the right call until Perth when Coney sent Richard Hadlee out to toss. If the pitch at Launceston shaped up to being a

good batting track, Coney said he would prefer to bat first and set India a target. “This would follow the trend of recent games where the captains have won the toss and set a target," he said. Coney was the first captain in the series to elect to bat first when New Zealand rattled up its highest score, 276, against Australia at Adelaide. “We have really not played to our potential this series. We’ve been very inconsistent,” he said. “Our bowlers and batsmen have all played well at different times but they have also had a couple of poor matches. “We have dropped a few catches and haven’t fielded as well as we have

in the last series,” he said.

“It has been a long series and many of the players have niggling injuries.

. “But this rest should allow us to pick from a full squad of players,” said the New Zealand captain. Coney did not rule out the possibility of New Zealand playing a wild card to open the batting. “We did it principally against Australia as we were having problems scoring because of the line the Australians were bowling. “But we may try John Bracewell again, or even promote someone like Ervin McSweeney.” Richard Hadlee has the fastest strike rate, 9L07, and could also be thrust

up the order. The strong start has become a prerequisite of successful one dayers and New Zealand must come up with the best laid out batting order. Ohly two teams, Australia and the West (ndies, have won the seven-year-old World Series Cup and New Zealand could make it a third team if it overcomes Kapil Dev’s team tomorrow. The New Zealanders rate the Indians a better unit than Australia, though naturally without making too many loud noises about it. They feel if they play to their potential tomorrow, they will be into next week’s finals.