Border has no thoughts of relinquishing Aust. captaincy

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 72

Border has no thoughts of relinquishing Aust. captaincy

NZPA-AAP Sydney The Australian cricket captain, Allan Border, yesterday declared he had no thoughts of relinquishing his position despite speculation that his two-year reign could end after the Ashes series against England.

The recall of the highly regarded N.S.W. captain, Dirk Wellham, for the fifth test starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, has had critics preparing for Border’s demise as skipper if Australia continues its disastrous run. But Border, who has led the team to just three victories in 25 tests, was adamant that he is still the selectors’ man and in charge.

Border also said he would seek out Wellham’s thoughts on tactics during the test. ’’l’ll consult with Wellham and I will also be talking to my vice-captain, Geoff Marsh, before and during the game,” said Border.

“I have always been Interested in discussing the game with any of the team with constructive thoughts and Dirk Wellham is a very good Sheffield Shield captain on his home ground.”

Border said it was his personal desire to stick with the captaincy.

“It would be a bit of a disaster to finish with the job undone — I’d like to finish under better circumstances,” he said.

“But if the selectors came to me and said 'look we want to try something different, it’s just not working,’ then maybe a change of captaincy would spark something. “I think I could accept that — it might just work. “It would be better than just picking up a paper one day and find I’m not in the team, or the captain.”

The realistic Australian

captain knows that the balance sheet isn’t reading well to the money paying public at large who need their heroes to win. "But I still don’t believe that the problem lies with me— playing better as a team in the middle is the clue to winning,” said Border.

Winning, or at least not losing the final test of the Ashes series, is critical to Border after England’s embarrassing innings victory in the Melbourne fourth test which wrapped up the series 2-0. “The past has passed, there is nothing we can do about what has gone — it’s the future, and some salvage work that has to be done from tomorrow,” he said.

Yet Border thinks the relatively Inexperienced Australians have put too much pressure on themselves and have been carried away by their desperation to re-enter the winners’ circle.

."Other sides don’t put themselves under the same pressures as we do — we should have played good positive cricket, but if we couldn’t get a win then we shouldn’t have lost either.

“We have gone a little bit over the top with our desperation,” he said.

Border can’t see his new-found spinner, Peter Taylor, winding up as 12th man.

.“The . selectors obviously had a role for him — it would be odd to make him a special selection then leave him out. "To be honest his selection was a shock to me and to him as well, but he

has been left in no doubt that he is welcome in the line-up — the boys have seen to that.

“Now everybody is hoping he will do well.” England’s captain, Mike Gatting, could only say quizzically: "Weil it’s interesting, but the S.C.G. dries out early and is likely to turn.

"I would like to take in a balanced attack,” he said, an indication that he would use his spin twins, John Emburey and Phil Edmonds, plus two seamers, probably Graham Dilley and Gladstone Small, with the redoubtable lan Botham as the third seamer. Allan Lamb threw a scare into the England camp when he was taken to hospital yesterday for a precautionary X-ray of his right forearm, a legacy of a Joel Gamer lightning speed bail in Perth recently. But Lamb was cleared, although he has deep bruising and the forearm is swollen. He has also thrown off some leg muscle problems suffered while fielding against the West Indians.

The teams are.— Australia: Geoff Marsh, Greg Ritchie, Dean Jones, Allan Border (captain), Dirk Wellham, Steve Waugh, Peter Sleep, Tim Zoehrer, Peter Taylor, Bruce Reid, Merv Hughes. Greg Matthews probable 12th man.

England: Chris Broad, Bill Athey, Mike Gatting (captain), Allan Lamb, David Gower, lan Botham, Jack Richards, John Emburey, Phil Edmonds, Gladstone Small, Graham Dilley. Phillip DeFreitas probable 12th man.