John Mitchell recently enjoyed a chance to interview Brian to gain his highlights and thoughts on international cricket from his days at the top.
Q1. Most memorable game?
Without doubt the first time New Zealand beat Australia in a test match at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1974. Groundsman Cyril Barnes prepared a magnificent cricket wicket. The game see-sawed through the first four days. NZ were put into a good position thanks to the batting of Glenn Turner (who scored a century in each innings) and the bowling of the Hadlee brothers (Richard captured seven wickets in the match and Dayle five).
NZ were required to score 228 runs to win on the fourth innings. I contributed 46 runs to the cause but significantly shared in a 115 run partnership with Glenn who played a match defining innings.
Unfortunately I still remember getting out in the last over before stumps on Day Four. My intention was to hit the off-spinner Ashley Mallett over the long-on boundary but got cleaned bowled for my rash decision.
And so on the 5th Day we needed 51 runs with six wickets available. NZCC opened the gates and a magnificent crowd of 10,000 came in to witness an important slice of cricket history.
Memorably for me, after the winning runs (hit by the late Ken Wadsworth) the Australian Ian Redpath (“a fine person and player”) retrieved the match ball off a spectator and presented it to me in the dressing room. I now have it mounted and it sits in my lounge at home.
Q2. Most memorable personal performance?
I made my test debut at Eden Park (along with Glenn Turner) against a strong West Indies team in 1969. The visitors won the first match of the series and it was memorably the last match for the great quick bowler Wes Hall.
My memorable performance came in the second test. It was played on a lively green track at the Basin Reserve. This time in the fourth innings NZ was chasing 164 runs to win. I came in to bat when the score was 39/3 late on Day 4. With me was night watchman Bryan Yuile. We managed to survive until stumps but more importantly put on 74 runs together the next morning. Yuile was finally out on the last ball before lunch. We eventually chased down the target with four down and I had my best test score of 62 not out.
But the thing I remember most about the innings was the vicious bowling of Charlie Griffiths and Richard Edwards. They were “wild” having just heard both had missed selection for an upcoming tour of England. They took the chance to vent their fury on Yuile and myself. I remember the bouncer barrage and both of us coming off black and blue.
It is interesting Brian chose this match winning 62* as his personal high, because next match in the series, the 3rd Test in the 2nd innings at Lancaster Park he scored his first test century (117 not out). This was in his third test match and a score which remained his highest in tests. The 3rd Test was drawn and the series squared.
Q3. What or who was the major influence in shaping you as a player?
No one person more than another. I was nearly 29 years old when I made my test debut. Along the way I was blessed to have good coaches and tough but fair captains to guide me. I was well coached at Wellington College, and in my final year at School I played senior cricket (for Midlands CC in the school holidays). Here Eric Dempster and Bob Blair (both NZ represent- atives) helped my game. For Wellington John R. Reid was coach and a strong influence.
I also value my year (1960) with Central Districts where senior players like Ian Colquhoun, Don Beard and Murray Chapple shared their knowledge. And then to Canterbury where there were many positive influences. For NZ, national coach Martin Horton helped to shape my development at the highest level of the game.
Q4. Advice for a current secondary school cricketer who has the vision to play first class cricket?
I see three important considerations for young players seeking to play for the Black Caps:
1) Team – play for the team first and foremost; and listen to your peers.
2) Prepare well – set goals, work hard, be physically fit and learn quickly to accept knock-backs.
3) Enjoyment – enjoy what you are doing in the game.
Q5. A vital aspect of the ethos of the game which must be strengthened?
I provide a word at both ends of the playing spectrum.
At club level, the numbers nationally are not growing. The standard of club cricket has slipped with the absence of first-class players from the club scene. I applaud initiatives taken by Cricket Associations to keep players in the game and to provide competitions for the shorter versions of the game.
At test level, “personal” sledging (as seen November / December 2013 in the first two Ashes tests) is not part of the game. Those altercations are beamed all around the world and show the game and top cricketers in poor light. The ICC needs to tighten up and give more power to umpires and officials to discipline or censure offending players.