Bowling Weakness In NZ Cricket

Northern Advocate, 2 April 1946, Page 4

Bowling Weakness In NZ Cricket

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Despite New Zealand's double batting failure in the Test, bowling, rather than batting, is the primary weakness in this country’s cricket, according to Mr W. A. Brown, tire Australian skipper. In an interview with the Evening Post’s cricket writer before leaving for the north today he said New Zealand batting was not a great deal weaker than Australian and. witlr the aid of regular visits from Australia, it could be kept well up to standard, but special efforts would have to be made to find and develop greater bowling strength. New Zealand bowlers chietly lacked consistency and imagination. Most of them were capable of sending down a good ball now and then, but mixed good deliveries with too many which were erratic either in length or direction. Moreover, they gave little evidence that they were matching their brains against those of the batsmen. SEIZED THEIR CHANCE The Test had been largely decided by the ability of the Australian bowlers to take advantage of conditions and deliver the most effective type of bowling. Mr Brown was definite that the tour had been a success from the Australians' point of view, and provided most valuable experience in preparing for the matches against England next summer. He thought a visit to New Zealand before. any Australian team yfent to England would always be particularly valuable. INTELLIGENT SPECTATORS Mr Brown spoke highly of the behaviour of New Zealand crowds and said they not only had been most impartial and able to appreciate the finer points of the game, but had taken the defeat of their teams in a very sporting manner. Concerning the prospects of the next test series against'England, he said that while the Australians did not know what kind of a team England would send out, they were certainly not pessimistic about their chances. The manager of the team (Mr E. C. Yeomans) said this morning that he had received a message from the Board of Control congratulating him and the team on the success of the tour. "I read into it more than cricket,” he said.