Recent one-day record modest

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 72

Recent one-day record modest

New Zealand’s recent record in international limited-over cricket does not bear comparison with its proud test achievements. In 25 matches since losing to Australia at the Basin Reserve two years ago, New Zealand can count only eight successes. Three of those wins were at the expense of Sri lanka this summer, in a triangular series which began promisingly only to be transformed into something of a victory lap for the World Cup holder, Australia. But New Zealand’s results in games against England have been more satisfactory. Since their first meeting at Swansea in 1973, England has won

11, New Zealand 10 and three have been abandoned. In 1986 New Zealand had a 47-run margin at Leeds before England tied the series with a sixwicket success at Manchester. It is a source of concern that New Zealand’s batting has so often struggled to come to terms with the requirements of the one-day game.

Significant partnerships have occurred all too infrequently, and New Zealand’s latest individual century — by Martin Crowe against England at Auckland in 1983-84 — was registered 56 matches ago. However, there is good

reason for confidence that the form shown by John Wright, Ken Rutherford, Crowe and Mark Greatbatch during the Rothmans tests will be carried over into i the limited-over competition.

John Bracewell is a gritty campaigner with bat and ball in this type of cricket, and lan Smith, in scoring 33 runs from 19 balls in the test at the Basin Resereve, played what Wright described as “just about the perfect one-day innings;” j

The continued absence of Richard Hadlee casts doubts as to New Zealand’s bowling depth. Ewen Chatfield, Willie Watson, Martin Snedden and Bracewell have the experience and skills to

match their England counterparts, but Rutherford is a comparative tyro as an all-rounder and Chris Kuggeleijn is to make his debut for New Zealand.

Even with Hadlee and Chatfield leading the way, New Zealand could not restrain Viv Richards at Dunedin nor Gordon Greenidge in Auckland and Christchurch as they blazed away for match-winning centuries in the last home series.

The England tourists have no batsmen of Richards or Greenidge quality, though their captain, Mike Gatting, showed a distinct liking for Carisbrook during the match against the President’s XI last month.

Although Richard Reid and Kuggeleijn have been called up for specific tasks, their presence does not boost the fielding skills of the side.

In this case that might not be so vital a factor. The English catching and much of the ground fielding on this tour has been of a standard more akin to lower grade club cricket.

Gatting stressed that this England side was much younger than that which reached the World Cug final in India last November, a factor which improves New Zealand’s prospects of getting back into a winning groove in one-day cricket.