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Tour of New Zealand 1976-77 Captain: Greg Chappell
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38th Australian Test tour
Third Test-playing tour of New Zealand by Australia
(January - March 1977)
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Ashley Mallett,
disappointed at the way he heard from the radio that he was dropped from
the Test twelve against Pakistan, announced his retirement (in fact he did
tour again in 1980).
All the Test-playing countries were
involved in busy, sometimes hectic, playing schedules in 1976-77. Following
this tour Australia met England, who had just arrived from a long tour of
India, for the Centenary Test. Perhaps the strain of this sort of pressure
added to the financial encouragement to sign for Kerry Packer's 'circus'.
Mr Wotton, the Tasmanian manager, was
kept in the dark about Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket venture that
members of the team were discussing during this tour.
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Other Australian Tours
Previous tour
England 1975
Next tour
England 1977
Next tour of New Zealand
1981-82
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Members of the Test tour party (14)
Opening
batsmen:
Ian Davis, Rick McCosker, Alan Turner
Middle-order
batsmen: Greg Chappell, Gary Cosier, Kim Hughes, Doug Walters.
Wicket-keepers: Rodney Marsh
Spin
bowlers: Ray Bright, Kerry O’Keefe,
Fast
bowlers: Gary Gilmour, Alan Hurst, Dennis Lillee, Max Walker.
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R J Bright
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V
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22
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SLA
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G S Chappell
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Q
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28
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RHB RM captain
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G J Cosier
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S
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23
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RHB
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I C Davis
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N
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23
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RHB
opener
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G J Gilmour
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N
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25
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LHB LFM
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K J Hughes
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W
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23
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RHB
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A G Hurst
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V
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26
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RF
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D K Lillee
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W
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27
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RF
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R B McCosker
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N
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30
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RHB
opener
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R W Marsh
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W
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29
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WK
LHB vice-captain
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K J O'Keefe
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N
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27
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LBG
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A Turner
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N
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26
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LHB
opener
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M H N Walker
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V
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28
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RFM
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KD Walters
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N
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31
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RHB RM
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State representation
Sheffield Shield teams
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New South Wales (6)
Q
Queensland (1)
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South Australia (1)
T
Tasmania (0)
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Victoria (3)
W
Western Australia (3)
Average age of team at time of first Test match
(18 February 1977) :
26 yrs 9
months
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Test Appearances made before the tour
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Walters 60, Marsh 44,
G S Chappell 43, Lillee 29,
Walker 26, O'Keefe 18, McCosker
14, Gilmour 12, Turner 12, Davis 9,
Cosier 6,
Hurst 1, Bright 0, Hughes 0.
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Tour Officials
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R C A Wootton
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Tour manager
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Syd McRae
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Physiotherapist
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Roger Wotton
had played up-country matches against touring teams in 1947-48 and 1950-51
and was a former New South Wales team maanger. He was Country Party member for Burrendong, New South Wales, and was released from
parliament for six weeks. He hoped to manage the 1977 tour of England, too,
but would have had to quit his seat to do so and this was his sole tour.
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Selectors
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Neil Harvey (NSW), Sam Loxton (Victoria), Phil Ridings (South Australia, chairman - the first time a chairman
had been appointed),
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Selection
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Unavailable: Ashley Mallett, Terry Jenner, Jeff Thomson (shoulder injury)
Tour
Party Announced : 19 January 1977.
Not
selected :
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Time
between selection and departure from Australia
9 days
(19
January - 28 January)
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Travel
Sydney Q
Christchurch
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From
Sydney the team flew to Christchurch on Friday 28 January 1977.
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Time
spent in New Zealand
33 days
(28
January - 2 March)
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On-tour selection
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Greg Chappell (captain), Rodney Marsh
(vice-captain), Doug Walters.
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Reinforcements
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None
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Fixtures/Results
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a
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†Christchurch
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New Zealand Invitation XI
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Lost 6 w
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b
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†Auckland
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New Zealand Invitation XI
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Lost 12 r
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c
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Hamilton
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Northern Districts
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Won 113 r
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d
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Wellington
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Wellington
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Won 50 r
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e
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Nelson
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Central Districts
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Won 65 r
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f
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Dunedin
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Otago
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Won 48 r
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g
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CHRISTCHURCH
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NEW
ZEALAND First Test
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DRAWN
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h
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AUCKLAND
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NEW
ZEALAND Second Test
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WON
10 w
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â€
not first-class
§ one-day international
Time spent in New Zealand before First
Test:
21 days
(28 January - 18 February)
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Test appearances on tour
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2
- Chappell, Cosier, Davis,
Gilmour, Lillee, McCosker, Marsh,
O'Keefe, Turner, Walker,
Walters.
0 - Bright, Hughes, Hurst.
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Highlights
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• Doug Walters’ highest Test score (250)
came in Australia’s massive 552 in their first innings at Christchurch
• Walters shared a partnership of 217 with
Gary Gilmour (101), Australia’s highest for the seventh wicket
• Kerry O’Keefe took five wickets for 101
at Christchurch
• Dennis Lillee
had match figures of 11 for 123 (5-51 and 6-72) at Auckland, as Australia
won with 2 days to spare.
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Tour Summary
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P
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W
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L
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D
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Aban
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Test
Matches
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2
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1
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0
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1
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-
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Other
first-class matches
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4
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4
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0
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0
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-
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ϯ
Minor matches
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2
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0
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2
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0
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-
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§
One-day internationals
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0
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-
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-
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-
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-
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All
Matches
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8
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5
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2
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1
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-
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Return to Australia
Auckland Q
Sydney
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On 2 March 1977 the team flew from
Auckland to Sydney.
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Time
away from Australia
33
days
(28
January to 2 March)
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Finances
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In
September 1977 the Australian Cricket Board revealed that Australian
players received $2,430 for the 35-day tour of New Zealand
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Written accounts of the tour
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……..
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Postscript
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