Off-field drama did not help as W.A. takes Shield final—Border

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 45

Off-field drama did not help as W.A. takes Shield final—Border

NZPA-AAP ;j| : Perth The recent turmoil of police inquiries and action against some [Queensland players had a detrimental effect on the (Side in the Sheffield Shield ; final, the captain, Allan Border conceded on Tuesday.! [ He was not making it an excuse for his side’s fivewicket defeat to Western Australia at the W.A.C.A. Ground, but he said that it played a part. I "The investigations and subsequent police action didn’t help our preparation,” Border said. “It [was [not the sort of thing that is easily forgotten once in the dressing room trying to concentrate on cricket. 11l [ '

“It was just one of those things we had to, try to deal with,” he said. Ti [ i Border, who hinted that he might stand down; [as Queensland captain next season, said that the Maroons [would have to emulate WIAI, which notched its eleventh Shield win in 41 years and deprived Queensland of itsifirst win in 56 years in the competition. W.A. achieved [[victory at 1.32 p.m. when the lefthander, Wayne Andrews, hit

a ball from Dirk Tazelaar high over square leg for, six.. -I W.A., set 162 for victory’, started the final day at a comfortable 0-71, but there were a few' moments of drama as Tazelaar gave Queensland a glimmer of hope and just a remote chance of pulling off a mirac-i ulous win.

Tazelaar, a fast medium left-hander, caused W.A. tri slump to 3 for 82 not long after the start of play when he took three .wickets for four runs in the space of 11 deliveries. j | [ i He removed Geoff Marsh for 39, James Brayshaw for [ four and the captain, Graeme ; Wood, for a duck, and then shortly" before | lunch, he 1 trapped the opener, Mike Veletta, l.b.w. foj- 59. I i W.A. was in trouble when Kim Hughes top edged a: hook at lan Botham and was caught by substitute John [ Maguire at backward square; leg for 21 injthe over before lunch, leaving the side 5 for 133 at the break. H But then Andrews and Tim Zoehrer steered I the side home after lunch. It was W.A.’s ninth Shield

i* i J ■ I ■ ■ : ! i victory in [the past 17 years and its eleventh win over all. It [was; the Uth time Queensland had finished runners-up. I Border again bemoaned the fact ihat Queensland faded late in the season after I a promising istart. [ .1 | .! j’We’ve got to take a leaf out off W.A.’s book,” Border said. I'They are a tremendous' ■cricket team and are very[ professional in everything they bo. Occasionally we let l ourselves down in our pre-! i paratjons £nd in our thought; | processes going into a [game? “I'd like to see a little more discipline In our cricket. The I Australian team is successful now because it has that dis-l ciplihje | [ — and I think the Queensland!side has got to take a (lesson from W.A. and the Australian team,” Border daid. ’I- ,H' I ; ;!T I [■[On the subject of the Queensland captaincy next seasqn, Border said: “I haven’t really thought about it in a ly great depth. I | i Ti'Til thipk about it during the v, inter and hopefully come up with the right solution,’ he said. r I I Anp regarding the future of Englishman Botham, Border

spid: "That’s another 1 thing we’ll have to decide. We have just lost a Sheffield Shield;" 1 Wood|i ’said that Tuesday’s win,;his[fifth as a memberjof q winning W.A. Shield [combination, 1 was the most satisfy’Pß- II ’ I i ' ; “It wps the best because of the talibre of the opposition, because i we had to come from behind during [ the season pnd because we had To overcome many rood said. '[. .[,II “• "We had to overcome a series of injuries and lapses of form during the seaspri, hnd then serious injuries ruled Peter Capes and Bruce Reid but of I the final,” i he said. [ ;:. : ! :' j 1 11 Wood, who scored a superb 141’ in W.A.’s first innings, praised coach Daryl Foster and lauded | the bowling |of Terry i Aiderman and Chris Matthews in 1 the final. : Result: 11 i T i ' | ' I • Western Australia 344 1 (G. Wood[ 141;i C. Rackemann 5/ 69) and 162/5 (M. Valetta 59; P. Tazelaar T/65) j beat Queensland 2891 (A. Border 66; C Mat hews! 8/101) |and 216 (T. Hohns. 59 not [out, I. Botham 54: T. Aiderman 6/ 91)..’ 1.1 H 1 IH.|!L