Date-stamped : 14 Jul94 - 18:25
Cricketers' progress on tour tempered by deficiencies

DUBLIN (NZPA)  --  New Zealand  cricket  captain  Ken  Rutherford
still  has  concerns about the side despite the progress of young
players on the tour of England.

Matthew Hart, Stephen Fleming and Heath Davis were on their first
tours   while  Dion  Nash,  Adam  Parore  and  Shane Thomson were
returning to a touring situation.

At the start of the tour New Zealand was  seeking  progress  from
the  younger  players,  particularly in the problem areas of spin
bowling and opening batsmen.

Rutherford said that had happened, but  balancing  that  was  his
belief in the way players prepared themselves.

"It has  been  a  pretty  mixed  bag  really,"  Rutherford  said.
"Certain   individuals  have  shown  improvement, certainly,  and
England tours in the past have always provided that opportunity."

"But I have been disappointed at our lack of professionalism.  We
have  turned  in  some pretty ordinary performances on the county
circuit, for no real reason  other  than  that  the guys   aren't
preparing themselves well enough."

"If there was one major disappointing area of  the  tour  it  was
that - we didn't show the ability to turn on in a match situation
right through seven days a week, which is the essence of being  a
professional cricketer."

Rutherford said the losses to Yorkshire (an innings and 33  runs)
and  Derbyshire (innings and 18 runs) were poor performances that
should not have happened.

However, New Zealand came back well from a first-test loss by  an
innings  and 90 runs at Trent Bridge to draw the final two tests.
That showed the side had character, he added.

Rutherford said spin bowling was no longer the  problem  area  it
was,  despite  the  tour test averages of Hart (69.5) and Thomson
(81.5) which do not do them justice.

Hart in particular did a "superb" job in the Lord's test and  his
runs an-over average - 2.45 - is more telling.

"I think the balance of our side with Thomson, Hart and the three
seamers is a good one."

"If we had Danny Morrison, Chris Cairns and  Nash  as  our  three
front liners, that's useful."

Nash was a classic example of a young player taking a chance with
both hands, he said.

He took 11 wickets to almost win the Lord's test for New  Zealand
and had 17 wickets in the test series.

"It's a heck of an exciting time for him now  with  the  counties
chasing  him  and  hopefully he will make a decision that is good
for his future."

(Thanks : NZPA)
<END> Contributed by Romario (Romario@gandalf.otago.ac.nz)