Conway clear for NZ callup
Devon Conway finally has a date circled on his calendar. Now he just needs the world to return to some semblance of normality before completing his cricketing dream.
Conway, 28, fronted his first press conference as an officially eligible New Zealand cricketer via Zoom from his Wellington home yesterday, after the International Cricket Council gave him the all clear for August 28 – just under five months away.
It makes the South African run machine available for Black Caps selection for the tour of Bangladesh, starting on August 12, or New Zealand A in India three days later – if they actually proceed as scheduled, which must be in serious doubt.
The versatile left-handed batsman’s first black cap appears a formality after he topped the run charts in all three domestic formats for Wellington, but the big question is when international cricket will resume amid the coronavirus pandemic.
‘‘There are mixed feelings at the moment. Obviously really happy to hear the news about my eligibility but then again with regards to what’s happening throughout the world it just puts it in perspective,’’ Conway said.
It will be three years in September
since Conway and partner Kim farewelled Johannesburg for Wellington, in the spikemarks of Grant Elliott, Kruger van Wyk and Neil Wagner who all earned a black test cap after playing firstclass cricket in South Africa.
Conway signalled his intention as a qualifying player which required him to spend at least 10 months a year in New Zealand to satisfy the ICC criteria.
Yesterday, Conway was housebound like the rest of the country. With indoor training nets closed he can’t hit balls, so it’s fitness work at the nearby turf and eye exercises, a necessity for a toporder batsman facing 140kmh thunderbolts.
Conway made an instant impact for the Firebirds and a year ago was named domestic player of the year after a prolific 2018-19 summer.
He’s a likely repeat winner when the 2019-20 gongs are handed out, after plundering nearly 1800 runs and helping Wellington to the Twenty20 Super
Smash and Plunket Shield double. The highlight was his epic 327 not out against Canterbury at the Basin Reserve in October.
‘‘Really chuffed with the way things went this last season. Personally very happy, and collectively as a team ecstatic because winning two out of the three trophies was a goal we wanted to achieve as a unit,’’ Conway said.
‘‘It’s really awesome to have that solid date of August 28 as a reminder that you’re pretty close. In saying that, it doesn’t guarantee selection.’’
Which format, and which spot in the batting order now becomes the intriguing question for Black
Caps coach Gary Stead who included Conway in his Twenty20 winter training squad a year ago and is clearly interested. NZC pursued the ICC for a definitive date on Conway’s eligibility and got its desired answer last week.
With the Twenty20 World Cup looming in Australia in October – again subject to the containment of Covid-19 – Conway would add to the Black Caps top-order logjam alongside Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson and Tim Seifert, and is a handy backup wicketkeeper.
Conway showed his power game in the Firebirds’ T20 title charge, scoring 543 runs at an average of 68 and strike rate of 145. He scored 140 more runs than second-ranked Guptill.
In first-class cricket, Conway largely batted No 3 for the Firebirds and with his ability against the short ball could be a test opening option alongside Tom Latham, or apply pressure to Henry Nicholls at No 5.
‘‘To be honest it’s pretty tricky to say because you’ve got worldclass batters from one to six in that Black Caps team,’’ Conway said.
‘‘I can’t really pinpoint where I’d like to bat. Wherever the opportunity arises I would love to take it with both hands. I’ve batted in different positions throughout my career.’’