Test practice hit

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 27

Test practice hit

NZPA staff correspondent London The New Zealand cricket team’s preparations for the test against England fell foul of London’s frenzied preparations for the royal wedding yesterday. The team planned to squeeze in practice at Lord’s between arriving from Nottingham in the early afternoon and attending a reception at night.

Such was the traffic congestion in the centre

of London on the eve of the wedding, however, that the practice was soon abandoned. The cancellation , means the tourists were due to have just one net at Lord’s early today, thereby missing the wedding, before the test, which starts later

today. The New Zealand test side will be named after the practice. It appears the chief task for the selection panel of Mr Glenn Turner, the captain, Jeremy Coney, and the vice-captain, John Wright, will be to decide

between the batting skills of Ken Rutherford and the all-round ability of Evan Gray. The improved performances of Willie Watson and Derek Stirling against Nottinghamshire at the week-end should have as-

sured they will join Richard Hadlee in the seam bowling department. John Bracewell will be the premier spinner, but the debate will be whether to also use Gray’s left-arm spin, thereby reducing the number of specialist batsmen to five.