Bartlett Gets “Green Light” By Selectors

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 15

Bartlett Gets “Green Light” By Selectors

DUNEDIN. No. the disasters at Dunedin, the New Zealand selectors have retained the 12 players who appeared there for the third and final test at Auckland, beginning on Friday.

M. E. Chapple, captain in the first test and unable to play in the second because of in jury, is now fit but was not chosen. The side will again be led; by B. W. Sinclair. Chapple isi one of the selection committee of four which made the' decision. New Zealand’s perform- ■ ances in the first two matches! were extremely disappointing.. The side had done well at Christchurch to take a first! innings lead and at Dunedin! should have had England out for a small score: but the catch-'

ing, so often an open wound in New Zealand cricket, was again a grave weakness. The selectors are to be commended for not allowing the sharp reverses of these two matches to panic them into changes and to thrusting into l ithe conflict players who have J no experience of England’s . I batsmen and bowlers and who ■have not had representative • cricket for a significant period. ■■ There were some, however, j whose places must have been Jin doubt, and the selectors 1 have for instance taken R. W. i Morgan very much in trust. ! At Dunedin he batted badly Jin each innings. But Morgan .'is a young man of assertive

personality and he may at Auckland play a useful part. Bilby made only 21 in the second innings yesterday but it was his most convincing performance aganst England so far. He, too is not likely to allow his moderate scores to deprive him of his strokes and his inclination to attack The rather grim experience he has won so far will have been of benefit to him. N. Puna did not look, at Christchurch, a good enough bowler for test cricket, but he bowled far better at Dunedin than his figures indicate. He was desperately unlucky to take only two wickets and had M. C. Cowdrey not been dropped off him. New Zealand would almost certainly have come out of the game reasonably well. M. J. F. Shrimpton has done little so far, but he was unwell when he batted yesterday afternoon.

The indication given by the chairman of selectors that G. A. Bartlett would be considered purely on the basis of ability has, satisfyingly, led to his retention. NEVER CALLED

It is reasonable to suggest that Bartlett is innocent until proven guilty of throwing and the fact that not one call has been made against him in about ten thousand deliveries in first-class cricket indicates that suspicion is not enough. The choice of twelfth man at Auckland will probably be between Morgan and B. R. Taylor. The playing of (our pace bowlers at Eden Park would be against accepted policy for the pitch there usually becomes progressively slower and easier. But Taylor’s batting can be very good and Morgan’s at present is not. The fact that Taylor has had so little cricket lately inight go against him. Whatever the final selection !New Zealand will have to catch better and sustain its efforts much longer if England’s supremacy is to be challenged.