Wright expects tougher contest

Press, 8 March 1989, Page 72

Wright expects tougher contest

PA Wellington With the tentative approach of the first one-day cricket international out of the way, both Pakistan and New Zealand are set to go in with unchanged teams for the crucial second match at the Basin Reserve today.

“It’s always good to get the first match out of the way after a test series,” the New Zealand coach Bob Cunis had said before the first match in Christchurch last Saturday which New Zealand won by seven wickets. Although there were a few “flat spots” in the New Zealand performance on Saturday, it is unlikely to warrant any changes in the winning combination for today.

“We had the breaks when we had them (Pakistan) at four wickets for 23, and perhaps we really didn’t press home the advantage,” the New Zealand captain John Wright said of the “flat spots.” “The thing is, in oneday cricket you can’t afford to have flat spots, or flat spells with the bat, because at the end of the day they are so crucial particularly in matches that are even contests or are tight,” he said. “This game is a pretty important game in the context of trying to win the series.

“Obviously when you get to a two nil advantage at this stage it would give

us a big advantage in the last two games,” Wright said. But he does not expect it to be as easy as in Christchurch anticipating a better Pakistani performance saying the flatter track at the Basin should suit the tourists. “I think the conditions should suit them more looking at the wicket out there. It looks a pretty good batting wicket,” Wright said. The Pakistan captain, Imran Khan, agreed with

Wright saying the pitch looked better than the one used in Christchurch. While luck has not favoured the tourists in the three one-day matches they have played on tour (two against New Zealand and one against Auckland) Imran hopes things will finally go his way today which would really get the series going. “I think maybe the pendulum will swing our way and it would be good to win the toss, not if it’s sunny, but if there is a bit of cloud cover and moisture,” Imran said. “In a one-day match out of 50 overs if for 15 overs the ball wobbles around it favours the other side, but if the sun had come out it wouldn’t have made much difference,” Imran said of Saturday’s match. He indicated he is unlikely to change his team even though the wicket-keeper-batsman Aamer Malik was hit just above his toes on his right foot by a ball from Aaqib Javed while batting in the nets yesterday. Aamer limped yesterday morning although he

had a hit in the nets. He said a decision on playing would depend on how free he felt moving about.

Imran expects the bruising on Aamer’s foot to ease up sufficiently for him to play.

With Javed Miandad out, Imran is certain to stick with the middle order batsman, Ramiz Raja, who vindicated his late selection with a patient 51 in Christchurch to give Pakistan’s total some respectability. But all is not good news specially for the two spinners, Tauseef Ahmed, and Abdul Qadir, with the groundsman, Wes Armstrong, having some sobering words for them. “The pitch should be good for the batsmen and it should have a lot more bounce than the test wicket but I don’t think it will take much turn,” Mr Armstrong said. With the pitch promising runs New Zealand is unlikely to add a batsman or drop a bowler which is a more than strong hint that once again Jeff Crowe is most likely to carry the drinks for New Zealand today.