History points to test run spree

Press, 10 February 1989, Page 40

History points to test run spree

By

JOHN COFFEY

in Wellington

Main event or preliminary, curtain-raiser or full-blooded contest? Which category the “second” cricket test between New Zealand and Pakistan would fall into was the subject of debate in Wellington yesterday.

All summer the pitches at the Basin Reserve have caused long-suffering bowlers to drag themselves from the oval feeling as though they had just completed a double shift at the coal face. Batsmen have prospered to such an extent that there must be considerable doubt whether even the great skills of Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan or Abdul Qadir can bring either side victory in the match due to start this morning. Recent international history also supports that theory. New Zealand has had high-scoring draws with the West Indies and England in the two latest tests at this country’s most picturesque test venue. Because of the wash-out in Dunedin last week, a draw at the Basin Reserve would reduce a muchanticipated Rothmans series to an all-or-nothing finale at Eden Park later this month. But John Wright, the New Zealand captain, said

yesterday that his players could not afford to look beyond the next few days. “We have to go out there and perform. This is a crucial match for us, up against a good side, and we must be confident of our own strength,” he said. "Our attitude must be 100 per cent. There is everything to play for here — who knows what we might strike in Auckland,” said Wright. He might have difficulty convincing his teammates that a positive outcome will be achieved before the scheduled finish on Tuesday. Wright’s opening partner, Robert Vance, has compiled 402 runs in four completed Shell Trophy innings at the Basin Reserve. The other Wellington batsman in the test line-up, Andrew Jones, has had an extraordinary return of 628 runs at an average of 157. Of the other batsman only Martin Crowe has not played in Wellington this summer. Jeff Crowe fondly remembers his

visit for the innings of 156 which did much towards boosting his confidence and restoring him to the test team. Wright scored 81 for Canterbury, Dipak Patel 77 for Auckland. If anything, the seam bowlers would be even more certain that plenty of toil and little reward lies ahead of those in the playing XI. Danny Morrison, Martin Snedden and Willie Watson have horror tales of Auckland’s venture south last month. Between them they took three wickets for 357 runs. Even Ewen Chatfield, Wellington’s resident cricketing folk hero, admits to having feared he had lost his touch after his one wicket at the Basin in two games cost him 220 runs. Chatfield wisely skipped his province’s other home game, while neither Hadlee nor John Bracewell had been available for their provinces. Nor had the Basin’s reputation escaped Imran Khan, the Pakistan captain — “I hear there have

been lots of runs scored,” he said after his players had at last managed to practise outdoors yesterday afternoon. “We are as ready as circumstances have permitted,” said Imran. “It is just that we have not been out at all. The whole idea is to get used to your conditons, which are alien to most of our players.” Imran was not concerned about Pakistan’s eight-wicket loss in the limited-over game which substituted for the first test at Carisbrook. “It is not a question of picking ourselves up. We are npt down,” he said. “We just lost a onedayer. We lost one-dayers in Australia, and when we went to the West Indies we lost all five onedayers. “Test cricket is a different ball game,” said Imran, in a tone which suggested that battle might be about to commence. 'Wellington had overcast weather yesterday, but the forecast for the next few days was favourable.