ENGLAND RESPECTS BOWLING Batsmen Hold Key To N.Z. Revival

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31005, 10 March 1966, Page 19

ENGLAND RESPECTS BOWLING Batsmen Hold Key To N.Z. Revival

(By

R. T. Brittenden)

It would be a minor miracle if New Zealand were to win the third and final cricket test against England, which starts at Auckland tomorrow’. But it is well within the bounds of possibility that the home team will do better than in the first tw o matches.

During those two games, it was obvious that New Zealand’s bowling is regarded with much respect by the England batsmen. The fielding, for long periods, was first-class.

But the catching lapses have come, and they have been dreadfully expensive.

The dropping of M. C. Cowdrey at Dunedin will haunt the memories of all those in the game and a good many of those watching. However, it is the frailty of the batting which is the greatest problem. In the first innings of the first test. New Zealand gave a solid display to take a narrow lead. The second innings collapse was abysmal. Close Catching At Dunedin, seven wickets were lost for 100, and only the violence of R. C. Motz and the virtuous defence of E. C. Petrie gave the team a score beyond the nominal. And there was another dreadful collapse in the second innings, with Petrie carrying the side through to a draw. The most disturbing feature of the batting has been the regularity with which the batsmen have been caught close to the wicket. A survey of the dismissals hints at very poor defensive technique. New Zealand lost 37 wickets in the two matches, and only five of them were not close to the wicket catches, or legbefore wicket decisions. There were 11 catches by the wicket-keepers, six in short leg positions, six in slips, three lbw’s, five batsmen’ were bowled. Only five were out making offensive strokes. Danger Bowler The fallibility of the batting i s also, of course, a tribute to the skill of the England bowlers, and particularly to K. Higgs, who has shown himself to be the most dangerous of New Zealand s bowling opponents.

Only in the first innings at Christchurch, when there was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers, was Higgs anything but dangerous. He then bowled a rather defensive length, but from 30 overs took three for 51. Since then, he has bowled another 42 overs, and taken nine for 46—a total of 12 for 97 from 72 overs. Sustained Effort He is an absolute master of length, comes through very quickly, and mixes an outswinger with one which cuts back from the off. In Australia, Higgs was not

a pronounced success, for the pitches there thrust a defensive role on him. But it is easy to understand why he has been so successful on more responsive pitches in England. England will go into the match very confident of victory. If New Zealand can find

one batsman to score heavily, as B. E. Congdon did at Christchurch, the visitors may have their bad moments. But New Zealand needs to sustain its efforts far longer this time, if there is to be a really competitive interest in the game.