Officials surprised

Press, 1 December 1988, Page 44

Officials surprised

By

JOHN COFFEY

and NZPA

A radio news item that England would make a brief tour of this country early next year caught New Zealand cricket officials by surpise yesterday. “We cannot make any official comment at this time,” said the New Zealand Cricket Council secretary, Tim Murdoch. “As far as we are concerned negotiations are still being carried out and a financial package arranged,” he said. It was an open secret that planning has been under way since England expressed a wish to visit New Zealand after its tour to India was cancelled because several of the chosen players had South African connections. Fears that a New Zealand agreement to provide an alternative tour for the players banned by the Indian Government might result in a backlash against the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland have made negotiations all the more sensitive.

But even before last week-end’s N.Z.C.C. board of control meeting in Christchurch there had been widespread speculation that England, as well as Pakistan, would tour New Zealand in the New Year. After the meeting, the board’s chairman, Barry Paterson, said an announcement would be made late this week. Mr Paterson’s thunder was stolen yesterday when an England Test and County Cricket Board official, Tim Lamb, announced the acceptance of a mini-tour involving two tests and a triangular limited-over series with New Zealand and Pakistan. No venues were mentioned, though Lancaster Park must be a prime candidate for one of the tests. Christchurch was omitted from the Pakistan itinerary, those tests being allocated to Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington. Agreeing to such an itineary was contrary to England’s usual policy, according to Mr Lamb, but the T.C.C.B. recognised the New Zealand

authorities needed to raise interest and money from one-day cricket. Mr Lamb said England administrators had been very disappointed at the poor crowds which attended last summer’s test matches, but were grateful to the N.Z.C.C. for arranging another tour at such short notice. England, therefore, was prepared to set aside its usual policy in “exceptional circumstances,” he said. Meanwhile, there had been no political pressure on the New Zealand Cricket Council to ignore a request from England for a short tour this season, said Mr Paterson yesterday. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Marshall said yesterday it was up to the cricket council to make a decision. He said the Government could not demand that the tour be called off. Mr Patterson denied radio reports that the tour by England was on. “The reports on the radio are premature,” he said. “No agreement has yet been reached.”