In like Finn: Prodigy turns heads
Four years after he made his domestic Twenty20 debut as a 17-yearold, Finn Allen is in fine form for the Wellington Firebirds.
The end of that sentence might have come as a surprise had you shared it with him after his first outing back in January, 2017, for the Auckland Aces against the Central Stags.
But after 31⁄ seasons stuck behind a starstudded lineup of internationals in his hometown – the likes of Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman – the batting prodigy made the move to the capital last winter.
And over the past few weeks, since the opening match of the Super Smash season on Christmas Eve, the 21-year-old has started to reap the rewards.
With innings of 53 off 23 balls, in the Firebirds’ first-up win over the Aces; 91 off not out off 50 balls, as they beat the Northern Knights on New Year’s Day; and 75 off 39 balls, as they beat the Knights again last Saturday, Allen has shown why he’s long been pegged as one to watch.
After his debut, which came almost three months before his 18th birthday, Allen only played one more T20 for the Aces in the next 31⁄ years, as well as 13 oneday matches and nine first-class matches. It was his search for more action that spurred his decision to look elsewhere.
‘‘I had a phone call with [Firebirds coach] Glenn Pocknall during lockdown and asked where he saw me within the Wellington set-up and I got some good feedback from him, which encouraged me to make the move in terms of playing opportunities.’’
Allen hadn’t really fired for the Aces, passing 50 three times in 14 first-class innings and once in 13 one-day innings, and he made his move to Wellington with their blessing.
‘‘Obviously it would have been nice to play a few more games for Auckland, but it’s pretty tough up there to crack that top side when they’ve got so many good players that are on the brink of the Black Caps or are Black Caps,’’ Allen said. ‘‘I definitely left Auckland on good terms. They were happy for me to go out and get some opportunities elsewhere, so that obviously made things a bit easier for me too.’’
That Allen was a player with potential was clear from his time with the national under-19 side, for whom he scored 663 runs in 17 matches at an impressive average of 47.35 with a highest score of 115 not out.
Then there was the century he made for a New Zealand XI against the touring England side at the end of 2019 – an innings of 104 that included 10 fours and two sixes against an attack that included international stars Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
Allen admits to feeling nervous before that knock, but he said he came away from that encounter with a great deal of confidence.
‘‘They were a pretty good side to come up against.
‘‘I was definitely pretty nervous but being successful against that kind of attack definitely left me feeling I can do it at that level – it’s just a matter of doing it consistently.’’
Powered by Allen’s runs at the top of the order, the Firebirds have won four from four to start their Super Smash title defence, and they’re in action again today against Otago in Dunedin.