Otago pair plying trade in Britain
OTAGO will have a least a couple of players in prime playing form when the squad reassembles later this year.
Volts allrounder Christie Viljoen and seamer Jacob Duffy are plying their trade in the United Kingdom during the New Zealand offseason.
Viljoen is in StokeonTrent, playing and coaching the Burslem Cricket Club First XI.
The team has won six of its eight games and Viljoen has made a significant contribution in most of the games.
He collected a fivewicket bag in the ninewicket win against Alsager on April 29 and claimed five for 33 in the 35run win against Audley six days later.
He guided his side to a 66run win in the opening game of the season against Whitmore with four for 40, and also took four for 40 in the 38run win against Checkley.
He has struggled a little with the bat but scored 44 and took three wickets in the 27run win against Longton.
The team’s next game is against Porthill Park this Saturday.
Duffy is spending the New Zealand winter in Bristol, playing for Bishopston Cricket Club in the West of England Premier Cricket League.
He arrived earlier this month and has had two games for the club.
The towering rightarmer took three for 37 from 10 overs against Glastonbury in a oneday game on May 6.
Glastonbury posted 261 for nine, though, and won by 45 runs. Duffy was trapped lbw for three in his first bat for the club.
The following Saturday Duffy helped contribute to a 106run win against Shapwick and Polden.
His side batted first and compiled 243. Duffy was out caught and bowled for four but he took an early wicket as the opposition crumbled to be all out for 137.
Duffy missed the match last weekend due to a sore ankle but is not expected to be sidelined for too long.
A Jeetan Patel says his value to the Black Caps in the Champions Trophy will come off the field as much as on it, NZN reports.
Veteran offspinner Patel has just joined the New Zealand squad. His arrival was delayed by a heavy workload with his
English county, Warwickshire, where he has barely had a break since playing in the oneday international and test series against South Africa on home soil in March.
The 37yearold’s prolific county record partly explained his selection for a tournament played at three United Kingdom venues, including his home away from home of Edgbaston, in Birmingham.
New Zealand will play its third group game there against Bangladesh after opening matches against Australia and England at The Oval in London.
‘‘You get to know the grounds but [my value] is the little things,’’ Patel said.
‘‘It’s how to get from A to B and all the things that would normally cause you a little bit of trouble when you’re abroad.
‘‘It’s like playing in a home series, effectively.’’