Date-stamped : 03 Nov93 - 06:17 New Zealand v Aus Chairman's XI, Lilac Hill, Perth, 19 Oct 93 The New Zealand team has begun its tour of Australia, a three test series and a world series cup comprising the kiwis, aussies and south africa. The tour got off the ground with a game against an invitation side captained by Geoff Marsh and including three of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, Dennis Lillee, Sir Richard Hadlee and Jeff Thomson. Also in the side were Mike Velletta, Tim Zoehrer and Brendon Julian (from memory). The New Zealand team batted first but crumbled disastrously to be 91-8. Lillee (2), Thomson (2) and Paddles (1) were the early wicket takers. A late revival with Blair Pocock (68) and Willie Watson (58) saw the kiwis make 189 in their 50 overs. The invitation side achieved this total easily with the loss of 4 wickets. One of the Aussie batsmen, I think it was Hayden, made 80 odd. All in all, not the start the kiwis wanted to this tour, but then again, this was the first game back for some 6 months, so perhaps a bit rusty. Hadlee, Lillee and Thomo said they felt they might get hammered but performed well, I have a feeling they may have trained a little to avoid looking stupid. Hadlee, the great competitor that he is would doubtless have been prepared even for this 'festival' match. Thanks to Tom Higham on r.s.c. ====> MORE Some of master bowlers of the not too long past return to semi- international cricket yesterday with the Chairman's XI playing New Zealand at Lilac Hill. D.K. Lillee claimed the best wicket(Crowe), J.R. Thomson (2-13) the best figure & R.J. Hadlee was the most economical (and the strongest appeal). The greying Thomson opened the bowling with the receding (of hairline) Lillee, apparently as Thomson was unable to remember his runup (so said all the TV news). It was Thomson who struck first having Mark Greatbatch caught behind. He then had Andrew Jones snapped up caught by Zoehrer as well and New Zealand were looking at 2- 19, relief was envisaged as Thomson rested after 4 overs (never to come back), but it was at this stage Sir Richard Hadlee enetered the attack, not a bad first change bowler at all. Martin Crowe was dismissed of a pull from Lillee and Hadlee brought out that appeal and Bryan Young was heading back to the pavilion, and New Zealand were crumbling at 5-46 with a bowler under 40 nowhere in sight. With the crowd busily chanting "Lillee Lillee" Lille bowled out his tenth and final over. The game became less serious here as Dean Jones came onto to bowl his off spinners with immediate success as Dipak Patel hit back a simple catch and after the early pace barrage it was spin as Tim Zoehrer took the ball, he claimed a simple caught and bowled off Tony Blain and also the wicket of Su'a and it was 8 for 91. Marsh (Geoff) himself had a bowl and Blair Pocock and batting bunny Willie Watson put on 91 runs with Watson hitting out before Marsh brought on man of the match Damien Martyn and he removed Pocock and the Moody removed no 11 Haslam in his second over and New Zealand were all out for 189. Not a really big target. This was proved as the ACB Chairman's XI had relatively few troubles with the New Zealand attack apart from Langer who was struck on the forearm by Chris Cairns, there was no serious injury though. Apart from Langer who retired hurt on 9 the other batsman all made double figures with Martyn's 81 not out guiding them home. Patel took a nice 3 for 37 inc Veletta Jones and Moody and may proved a valuable commodity in these games. The interesting thing is that this was basically the new Zealand test side except for Morrison in probably for Haslam and they got beaten. Thanks to Phil Shead on r.s.c. ====> MORE New Zealand captain Martin Crowe was "relaxed" about his team's six-wicket defeat in the opening match of their Australian tour at Lilac Hill Park on Tuesday. "I am pretty relaxed," Crowe said following the shock beating by an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI. "The bounce was a bit slow -- not the sort of bounce we have seen at the WACA Ground nets, where we have been practising," he said. "Some of us were through our shots before the ball came on to us." New Zealand's hopes of starting the tour well were shattered when, batting first, they had their top order wrecked by three of the game's former fast bowling greats - Australia's Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson and their own countryman Sir Richard Hadlee. The trio, all long retired, made brief comebacks to inject interest into the carnival occasion. But they performed with a great deal more vim and vigour than might have been expected of ex-champions now all well past 40. With Thomson and Lillee both striking twice and Hadlee chiming in with one victim, the tourists skidded to an embarrassing 44 for five in the 19th over, and were lucky to reach a total of 189 from 48.4 overs. The Chairman's XI romped to victory in 43.2 overs, making 192 for four. Crowe said the three giants of yesteryear had "bowled pretty well." "They all put the ball in the right place. It was great to see," he said. The Kiwi leader was pleased that young opener Blair Pocock, at least, impressed with the bat in reaching 68 from 122 balls in 152 minutes before being ninth man out. He struck nine fours. "That was great for him," Crowe said. "He was pretty nervous when he went out, but he batted right through. He will shape in the next game with more confidence." New Zealand's blushes were also spared to some degree by tailender Willie Watson, who hammered a whirlwind unconquered 57 in 44 minutes with nine fours and a six. Another plus for New Zealand was spinner Dipak Patel's success in taking 3-37 in the Chairman's X1 innings. Thanks to vasa on r.s.c. Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)