Cricket World Cup history: Glenn Turner, one of New Zealand’s finest openers

When Glenn Turner made his Test debut in the late 1960s he was, to use a hated cricketing cliche, a stroke-less wonder. The determined young player that he was, he rapidly developed a wide array of strokes and emerged as one of the finest New Zealand batsmen ever. His long stint with Worcestershire in English county cricket perhaps, helped shape him.

Turner made a flying start on the very first day of the inaugural World Cup in 1975, albeit against the feeble attack of the East Africans. He carried his bat through the 60-over innings, in the process becoming the first to score 150, and hit 16 fours and 2 sixes while compiling 171 not out off 201 balls. That is the only 200-ball knock ever in the World Cup, and was to remain the highest score in the tournament till it was bettered eight years later by former Indian captain Kapil Dev.

Turner was dismissed cheaply against England, but in the crucial encounter with India he was again in superb touch. He took the game away from Venkataraghavan’s team, and led the Kiwis into the semi-finals. His brilliant unbeaten 114 off 177 deliveries, with 13 fours showed fine appreciation of the demands of the one-day game, as he went on to clinch a consecutive Man of the Match award.

In the semi-final against the eventual champions West Indies, Turner scored 36 and shared a 90-run second-wicket stand with Geoff Howarth. That was all the resistance that his team could offer before bowing out. Turner topped by far the run aggregates as well as averages in the 1975 tournament. His 333 runs at 166.50 amply demonstrated how accomplished a limited-overs batsman he had become.

In 1979, Turner was not captain anymore but his free-scoring ways were still very much in evidence. The Sri Lankans felt the weight of his prolific bat, as he struck an unbeaten 83 to a facile 9-wicket win. He was associated in an unbroken partnership of 126 for the second wicket with old mate Geoff Howarth.

The game against India saw Turner drop down to No.4 as the young opening pair of John Wright and Bruce Edgar went in first. This time, Turner featured in an unbroken stand of 80 with Edgar, and New Zealand pipped India once again. He returned unbeaten on 43. Turner’s phenomenal World Cup was now being spoken of with awe.

He was the one batsman the powerful West Indies pace battery would have been looking to dismiss cheaply. He did put on 52 for the third wicket with Jeremy Coney, but Andy Roberts had him caught by Clive Lloyd for 20, paving the way for the champions to register a comfortable win. The Kiwis had, nevertheless, qualified for the semi-finals for the second time in succession.

A battle of attrition ensued at Old Trafford with the Kiwis chasing England’s 221. After Wright played a fine innings at the top, much depended on Turner to guide New Zealand to higher honors. He battled with grim determination in the company of skipper Mark Burgess and Richard Hadlee as the English pacers harried all the batsmen. When Bob Willis trapped Turner leg-before, the scoreboard read 162/6. Turner scored 30, and with his departure the latter batsmen found it impossible to score rapidly enough. In the end a mere nine runs separated New Zealand from a place in the final.

In eight matches of the first two World Cups, Turner had to his credit the highest aggregate of 509 runs, that included two centuries and another near-century at an average of 127.25. He still held the record for the highest score in the tournament.

Turner’s tremendous World Cup record led the selectors to include him in the team for the 1983 tournament. His stormy relationship with the country’s cricket administrators had disrupted his career in the late 70s and early 80s, and by March 1983 he had played his last Test. The third World Cup was to be the final appearance in international cricket for the 36-year-old stalwart.

He re-occupied the opening slot but could not repeat his spectacular deeds of the first two World Cups. He scored 14 and 27 against England and Pakistan respectively, and regained some semblance of form while hitting up 50 and flaying the Sri Lankan attack in an 89-run opening stand with Wright. His 60-ball knock was embellished with eight fours.

The return matches brought a run of poor scores as he managed just 12 runs in his last three innings. By then, however, Glenn Turner had done enough to carve out a niche for himself among the top-ranking batsmen in the World Cup.

Turner’s career was effectively over just before the golden run of the New Zealand team under Geoff Howarth in the 80s. But, in the 70s, he was often his side’s lone warrior with the willow. Glenn Turner was certainly the best Kiwi batsman since the retirement of left-hander Bert Sutcliffe. In turn, when it was time for Turner to bid adieu, he handed over the legacy to another fine wielder of the willow, Martin Crowe.

Turner was coach of a demoralized New Zealand side in the 1996 World Cup, and inspired it enough to give a mighty scare to favorites Australia in the quarter-final. It was men like Glenn Turner who laid the foundation for the happy position New Zealand cricket finds itself in today.

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Glenn Turner’s World Cup batting and fielding record:

Matches 14, Highest Score 171*, Runs 612, Average 61.20, Strike-rate 64.01, Hundreds 2, Fifties 2, Catches 2

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