Elliott pulls stumps on career for NZ
Kohli is friends with some Australians
The full international retirement of Grant Elliott has been confirmed with the former New Zealand all-rounder signing a Kolpak deal to play in this year’s English T20 competition.
The Birmingham Bears, who already have New Zealand spinner Jeetan Patel and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme on their books for the Natwest T20 Blast, announced the acquisition of Elliott yesterday.
A veteran of more than 100 games for New Zealand, the 38-year-old retired from ODI cricket in April last year. Elliott confirmed his full retirement in receiving a special presentation alongside Nathan Mccullum at the NZ Cricket awards on Thursday.
‘‘Loved playing with the @BLACKCAPS and to have made some special friendships along the way. A team environment I will never forget. #BTB,’’ Elliott posted to his Twitter account with a photo of him with New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and vice-captain Tim Southee. India captain Virat Kohli believes his post-match comments in Dharamsala regarding his friendship with Australian players have been blown out of proportion and has clarified they were directed only at a couple of individuals.
The hard-fought test cricket series witnessed plenty of acrimony, the most notable being Kohli’s criticism of counterpart Steve Smith for gesturing towards his dressing room for guidance on whether to review an lbw decision in the second test at Bengaluru.
Immediately after India clinched the series 2-1 with Tuesday’s win in Dharamsala, Kohli said he would not regard any Australian cricketer as a
By signing with Birmingham as a Kolpak registration, South African-born Elliott does not count as one of the two overseas players each team is allowed but does become ineligible for his country.
‘‘Securing Grant, and the friend ‘‘ever again’’, going against the goodwill he felt towards the tourists prior to the first test.
‘‘My answer at the post-match conference has been blown way out of proportion,’’ the feisty 28-year-old said. ‘‘I did not categorically say the whole Australian team but only a couple of individuals. I continue to be in good terms with the few guys I know and who I’ve played with at RCB and that doesn’t change.’’
Kohli’s Bengaluru-based Twenty20 side includes Australians Shane Watson, Travis Head and Billy Stanlake, while pacemen Mitchell Starc and Kane Richardson also played under his stewardship last season.
earlier addition of Colin de Grandhomme, gives us the additional batting firepower that we wanted,’’ Warwickshire’s director of sport Ashley Giles said.
Elliott emigrated to New Zealand in 2001, making his international
Australia captain Smith will lead the Pune-based team in the tournament starting on Wednesday, while compatriot David Warner leads champions Hyderabad and Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell will skipper the Punjab side.
Kohli is facing a race against time to be ready for the start of the tournament as he continues his rehabilitation from the shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final test.
New Zealanders playing in the IPL are Brendon Mccullum, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Martin Guptill, Tim Southee, Mitchell Mcclenaghan, Adam Milne, Corey Anderson and Lockie Ferguson.
debut in 2008. The highlight of his involvement at the top level came in 2015 when he struck a six off the penultimate ball to secure a dramatic win against South Africa in the World Cup semifinal at Eden Park.
Elliott played five tests and 16 T20s for New Zealand but was most prominent in the ODI format, where he played 83 games and scored almost 2000 runs at an average of 34.06 and took 39 wickets at 30.23.