Chappell keen to help boost Kiwi bats

[Beny]

Chappell keen to help boost Kiwi bats

Wellington
November 24, 2004

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell has offered his services free to the New Zealand cricket team, saying its batting plan is flawed.



Chappell was alarmed at the lack of intent New Zealand's top six batsmen showed in the first Test in Brisbane, where the Black Caps were dismissed for 76 on the way to defeat by an innings and 156 runs.

He said he feared another heavy loss in the second Test in Adelaide starting on Friday unless the tourists changed their mentality.

"They are trying to occupy the crease, but the problem with that is you lose the reason to bat," Chappell said in yesterday's Dominion Post.

"The reason you bat is to score runs and what I detected with some guys, and Craig McMillan is probably the best example, is that he is not then playing his natural game.

"When you go out to survive you get into a defensive mentality, and against the likes of (Glenn) McGrath, (Jason) Gillespie and (Shane) Warne, you just become sitting ducks."
Chappell was not prepared to give individual assessments of any technical shortcomings, but said if asked by New Zealand coach John Bracewell, he would be more than happy to talk "game ideas" with the batsmen.
"If John Bracewell asked me for input or New Zealand Cricket asked me I'd be more than happy to help," said Chappell.

"I'm not looking for a paid job. I'd just be more than happy to sit down and have a chat to the batsmen and talk game ideas."

Bracewell said he had not been approached by Chappell, but was prepared to hear his ideas.

"Greg Chappell is an extremely knowledgeable cricketer. He's coached here and he knows this ground so there are opportunities. I know the New Zealand side used Dean Jones last time they were here," Bracewell said.

"We've constantly used some of your great bowlers of the past to help with coaching in New Zealand. There's always been a relationship of information sharing between Australia and New Zealand.

"That's brilliant to hear, but I haven't been approached, so I can't really comment. Until you are actually approached personally it's just hearsay."

Chappell, 56, scored 7110 runs in 87 Tests at an average of 53.86, including a career-best 247 not out against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in 1974.

He infuriated Kiwis in 1981 when he ordered his brother Trevor to bowl underarm the last ball of a one-day match against New Zealand at the MCG.

Chappell said technically New Zealand was "OK" and any minor problems were essentially a flow-on effect from their negative mindset.

"The art of batting is like walking a tightrope and New Zealand are not walking it very well at the moment," he said.

"If they are not good enough, they are not good enough, but you have to give yourself a chance by playing your natural game."

Chappell does not like the mindset of continually leaving balls alone and only playing the straight ones.

"My approach to batting was always about putting pressure back on the bowler," he said. "First you soak up the pressure and then you make him feel it and make him change his line and length.

"Next thing, the opposition is forced to change their field and all of a sudden you're on top."

- NZPA, with Chloe Saltau

[Kiwi_Luvs_Cricket]

Well, that is an interesting article there. Was that found in one of the New Zealand newspapers?
I think that is really good of Greg Chappell. I think the NZ cricket team could really benefit from his input.

Just a side-note: it's interesting that he is still associated with that famous underarm bowling incident. He came out and talked about it in an interview which screened here in NZ. He said that the whole incident was "a mistake".

[Beny]

mistake? Sounds like an insanity plea.

No it was in the Age. A melboune newspaper but is running in most papers.

[Kiwi_Luvs_Cricket]

Ive read the Age before, good paper. I remember it when I was in Melbourne 4 years ago.

Yep, he said it was a mistake. Why do you say it is an insanity plea? I just think he was being honest about it all.

[Beny]

The old excuse of 'I was'nt thinking properly'.

[Kiwi_Luvs_Cricket]

Hmm yeah...

But I guess we all kinda have those moments, dont we?