New Zealand v Australia
Basin Reserve, Wellington: 21st – 24th March 1975
Upon winning the toss on the concrete like batting strip at Wellington New Zealand’s Trish McKelvey immediately chose to bat. Had Australia’s Wendy Blunsden won the toss she would have done the same on the Basin Reserve wicket. Both sides would need every minute of the four days if they were to press for a result.
“I think that the Basin wicket is renowned for being a pretty true wicket, usually after the 1st hour or so. Sometimes the 1st hour can be quite difficult to handle depending on weather and preparation.” – McKelvey
The wicket favoured neither quick nor slow bowler and it was only through the sheer pace of Raelee Thompson and the 18 year old debutant Sharon Tredrea that Australia managed any success. Along with Patsy May, they each bowled in excess of 40 overs. New Zealand were eventually all out for 359 from 169 overs with Thompson taking 3-70 from 44 overs and Tredrea 4-100 from 46.
Australia were equally pedestrian with the scoring and took 177 overs to make 362. Half centuries to Bev Wilson and Jackie Potter the openers, and a not out century to debutant Lorraine Hill with 118*. Hill’s century was the first Test century by an Australian since Betty Wilson’s 127 at Adelaide Oval in March 1958, some 17 years earlier. Jackie Lord’s leg breaks took 4-120 from 55 overs.
New Zealand batted a second time and were still in no hurry to move things along. It seemed as though both captains were letting this rare Test match simply drift into the ether. McKelvey declared at 4/276 but with just 21 overs left in the match it drifted to a draw.
Blunsden was pragmatic after the game. “I am not critical of Trish. The conditions did not favour a result. At the time we played so little International cricket no captain was going to throw away a match. It was a good experience but the weather was a bit wet and affected a number of games. This made for a rather drawn out tour.”
Scores
New Zealand 359 (Saulbrey 62, Rattray 59, McKelvey 52*, Tredrea 4-100, Thompson 3-70) and 6 dec 276 (Bevege 98, Tredrea 3-71) drew with Aust 362 (Hill 118*, Wilson 51, Potter 51, Lord 4-120) and 0/47