MICHAEL ATHERTON'S position as England captain received another important endorsement yesterday from Bob Bennett, the new chairman of the England Management Committee.
This meant that Atherton went into the last and crucial day of the Third Test against New Zealand at Lancaster Park, Christchurch this morning knowing that at least he had friends in high places. After England's innings victory in the second Test at Wellington Atherton received strong praise from Lord MacLaurin, the new chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Yesterday Atherton did not even have time to shower after his unbeaten four hour 65, following his bat carrying first innings 94, before Bennett was heaping more adulation on him.
Bennett, who as chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club has enjoyed a close working relationship with Atherton for some years, said: "I've spoken to him regularly on the telephone and also since I've been out here. I have always felt that things would come right.
"He has tremendous confidence in his own ability. He was concerned that he was not scoring runs but he was not depressed about it. He knew he would come good."
By the end of the fourth day Atherton had batted for almost 10 hours in this match. But his side were still precariously placed at 118 for two, chasing 305 to win the series 2-0. Daniel Vettori, 18 and playing in only his fourth first class match, created a number of problems and dismissed Nick Knight and Alec Stewart in an unbroken spell of 23 overs which yielded only 33 runs.
New Zealand had started the day on 95 for six, just 213 runs ahead, and with England looking the likelier winners. But the balance of the game soon tilted the other way. England made a quick breakthrough when, with the final delivery of the fourth over, Andy Caddick made one lift and leave Matthew Horne and Stewart took a simple catch. But then Chris Cairns and Vettori added 71 for the eighth wicket in just 20 overs.
Cairns was missed twice behind the wicket off Robert Croft when he had made 31 out of New Zealand's 140, which was important, and at wide mid off by Dominic Cork when he had made 51. This proved to be less vital. The single Cairns gained from that spilled chance was his last. He was eighth out when Knight took a well judged catch on the deep extra cover boundary. But by then New Zealand were 296 ahead.
New Zealand had played well in the morning but after the dismissal of Cairns lost their last two wickets with a wimper, although Vettori was 29 not out at the end. Gough and Tufnell, with three wickets each, were the most successful bowlers.
England started batting immediately after lunch with a target of 305 from a minimum of 148 overs. Atherton started most positively, clouting Heath Davis between mid wicket and mid on and then through the covers.
Knight was less impressive but rode his luck and the pair brought up the first opening partnership of 50 in Tests this winter. Knight's innings ended at 64 when he attempted to hit over mid on, where Davis took a comfortable catch.
Stewart, such a confident player, of fast bowling, was so becalmed by Vettori, bowling over the wicket and into the rough, that he produced just nine scoring strokes from the 108 deliveries. When Vettori changed to round the wicket Stewart prodded the second delivery into the hands of Blair Pocock at bat pad. But Atherton, helped by nightwatchman Caddick, survived until the close.
