Crowe ruling a ‘disappointment’

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 88

Crowe ruling a ‘disappointment’

By

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London The New Zealand Cricket Council’s decision to deny Martin Crowe permission to miss the Sri Lankan tour has come as a “disappointment” to his English county side, Som- - crset. The Somerset secretary, Mr A. S. Brown said the county had hoped the New Zealand council would be sympathetic to Crowe’s application. The decision meant Crowe would miss at least the first three weeks and possibly four of the English county season, due to begin in mid-May. Until there was confirmation from the New Zealand council and Crowe himself of the decision, Mr Brown said Somerset had no official comment to make on the news.

He said the county had no idea when it last talked

with Crowe that there would be any international commitment on him at this time. “We are disappointed that the Sri Lankan tour was slotted in at very short notice, but everybody knows that international commitments take precedence over lesser commitments. We appreciate Martin’s position,” Mr Brown said. The situation was a little different to one of English-born county players being put in the same position and it was accepted that overseas players had a commitment to their country before county play. “The only surprise we can offer is that the Sri Lankan tour was hastily organised. Somerset will certainly suffer a little bit from this, but we will have to wait and see,” Mr Brown said.