Cricket: Skipper shares credit for inspired move on batting order in test victory

John Reid refuses to take all the credit for the ultimately inspired decision to shift Tony MacGibbon up the batting order.

Known as a quality right-arm seamer, MacGibbon batted at No 8 against the West Indies during the second test of the 1956 series, but was moved up to No 3 after a discussion between new skipper Reid and legendary coach Merv Wallace.

The pair had noted MacGibbon's comfort against the West Indian pace attack at Christchurch and agreed that it would be wasteful to continue using him as a tail-ender, that it made much more sense to bring him as a first-drop.

MacGibbon made 3 and 36 in the third test at Wellington and then chipped in with an important 35 during the second innings of what became New Zealand's biggest moment in the test arena, after 26 years of fruitless effort.

Reid, handed the captaincy after Harry Cave was dropped for the second test, recalls that Wallace was instrumental in deciding to promote MacGibbon up the order for the second half of the series, even experimenting briefly during the previous tour of India and Pakistan.

"We had a high opinion of him as a batsman and, to be fair, he'd batted at No 6 and 7 in India and Pakistan," said Reid. "He'd scored a lot of runs for Canterbury and we realised that if he continued to bat down the order for us, he'd be wasted.

"It was a decision Merv and I made together. We knew he could handle the quicks and he did quite well in the circumstances. His thirty-odd in the second innings at Eden Park in '56 was incredibly important for us."

The first New Zealand skipper to lead his side to the promised land, and the most enduring until Stephen Fleming arrived on the scene, Reid top-scored with 84 in the famous test at Eden Park, setting up his side for a first innings lead of 110.

Another to be fascinated by the huge influx of patrons on the final day, the 77-year-old remembers the unbridled joy that erupted when the final West Indian wicket fell and said he was lucky to make it to the dressing room with the shirt still on his back.

"The crowd just started multiplying," he said. "No one had been expecting it, but the word obviously spread around the region that we were in with a fairly good show, and pretty soon there were throngs filling up the ground.

"From 26 the year before to this - it was a much better experience, I can tell you that. The people all rushed on to the ground.

"I was pushing my way through the crowd, my back was being slapped about 10 times for every step, and everyone was very excited. It was like being in a rugby game. After that I had my first drink, and as Noel McGregor's been telling everyone, have been trying to make up for it ever since."

The situation surrounding the '56 series had been difficult for the New Zealand side and, like team-mate Jack Alabaster, Reid remembers how upset he was at the criticism from a selector on the eve of the first test in Dunedin.

The story goes that the first test squad was sat down at Carisbrook, given a dressing-down over their perceived sub-standard performances so far, told they were a disgrace and that they were all fortunate to be re-selected.

"The first test of that 1956 series was played less than three weeks after the last game of the India-Pakistan tour," Reid said. "There were a lot of sick players. It was a helluva trip through the sub-continent in 1955. It might as well have been another planet for us.

"Johnny Hayes contracted hepatitis, MacGibbon still suffers from the anaemic dysentery he got on that trip. Bert [Sutcliffe] was just skin and bone. He was lean at the best of times, but he took a long time to recover. Harry Cave wasted away. We had some big problems.

"I can still remember that selector's performance in Dunedin - it was very unfair."

Reid's biggest fear now is that Wallace, the man he regards as the patriarch of New Zealand cricket and a figure who did as much as any other to help the side earn their spurs that day in Auckland, will become the forgotten man of the saga.

"Merv was a very important part of New Zealand cricket," said Reid.

"Back in '56 there were a few people at executive level who were clearly jealous of his abilities, and, sadly, they let those personal emotions get in the way of their professional decision-making.

"We've been in touch with Merv this week on a couple of occasions. He's a genuine Kiwi guy and made a huge contribution, not only to our win in '56, but to where the present team are now."