Chatfield’s career hangs in balance

Press, 4 March 1989, Page 88

Chatfield’s career hangs in balance

By

JOHN COFFEY

Ewen Chatfield’s international cricket career is very much in the balance today, even though the old Wellington warhorse will not be on the field at Lancaster Park.

In his absence, and that of the injured Richard Hadlee, New Zealand’s bowling formation will have an unfamiliar appearance in the first Rothmans limited-over match againsf Pakistan.

Martin Snedden has assumed the position of senior partner of the quicker quartet. Danny Morrison, Gary Robertson and Willie Watson are his lieutenants, with Chris Kuggeleijn contributing his mix of medium-pace and off-spin. The national selectors, in leaving out Chatfield, mentioned in mitigation that he had earned a rest after exhaustingly long bowling spells in the tests. If the Pakistan batsmen cut loose today they might just as quickly decide Chatfield has had his feet up long enough.

It is 32 matches since Chatfield was missing from a New Zealand side in a one-day game —

even then, at Leeds in 1986, it took a fractured thumb to keep him out.

Chatfield and Hadlee have had an immense influence on New Zealand’s limited-over career re-

cords. Since this country made its debut, against Pakistan at Christchurch in 1972-73, Chatfield and John Wright have made 114 appearances, with Hadlee (108) the only other centurion.

They are also well ahead in terms of wickettaking, Hadlee with 144 and Chatfield failing to improve on his 142 in India late last year. Snedden took his 100th wicket in Baroda.

Not surprisingly, Hadlee dominates the list of most penetrative performances at one-day level, just as Chatfield has produced a string of outstandingly

economical bowling figures.

The manner in which Snedden troubled most of New Zealand’s specialist batsmen in the nets at Lancaster Park yesterday suggested he is relishing his greater responsibilities.

While in India Snedden, aged 30, took his number of limited-over appearances to 80. Watson has played in 24, Morrison 10 and Robertson six.

New Zealand will be somewhat embarrassed if the potentially powerful Pakistan batting lineup threatens to get out of control. If a part-timer has to be tossed the ball Andrew Jones is the most likely candidate. Jones opened the batting in all four limitedover fixtures in India, with more than a little success. However, Robert Vance’s convincing form in the tests has given him a strong case for inclusion. Jeff Crowe, then, is the probable twelfth man.

The Pakistan side will not be named until this morning. But the tourists are fortunate to have two such talented all-rounders

as Imran Khan and Muri assar Nazar.

Ijaz Ahmed and Ramiz Raja will be challenging for batting positions, with the less spectacular Shoaib Mohammad and Rizwan-uz-Zaman most under pressure. The spinners, Abdul Qadir and Tauseef Ahmed, commanded such respect at Eden Park that Pakistan would have no qualms about going into the game with only three faster men. . Since its most recent victory in a one-day series — when Pakistan last toured in 1984-85 — New Zealand’s ranking in this ’kind of cricket has slipped. Only 18 wins, against 40 losses, have been achieved.

On the credit side, New Zealand has yet to lose to Pakistan in this country, there might be some psychological advantage lingering from the hastilyarranged game which replaced the test in Dunedin, and Pakistan was a distant third to the West Indies and Australia in the limited-over competition which opened its tour.