MISSING DUNNERS
Former international Aaron Redmond transferred to Otago in 200405 and reinvented himself as an opening batsman. These days he is an accountant living in the United Kingdom but desperately misses Dunedin, reports cricket writer Adrian Seconi.
THEN
Aaron Redmond’s initial foray into New Zealand cricket began 400km north in Canterbury.
He moved across from Perth hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father, Rodney Redmond, and play test cricket for his country of birth.
Redmond senior wrote his name into New Zealand cricket folklore with a wonderful century on debut. Failing eyesight and form meant he never played for New Zealand again.
But Rodney made such strong impression that Aaron’s arrival was quickly followed up by the media.
Back then, Redmond was more of a leg spinner who could bat a bit. It was not until he transferred to Otago in 200405 and reinvented himself as a toporder batsman that he began to make progress towards his dream.
‘‘I really wish I’d made the move earlier,’’ Redmond said.
‘‘We were a young team — all about the same age — and we all played together and drank together.
‘‘I’m not sure how Hess [Mike Hesson, former Otago and Black Caps coach] and Craig [Cumming, former Otago captain] managed all of us at times.’’
Redmond’s career had its peaks and troughs, that is for sure. But you knew he was in good touch when he was driving the ball down the ground.
Any hint the ball was slightly overtossed and he would dispatch it with elegant authority. He would never try to overhit or bludgeon the ball.
His power came from timing and his talents did not go unnoticed. He was a surprise selection for the tour of England in 2008 but axed later that year despite a good test match against Australia in Adelaide.
Redmond played one further test in 2013 to take his tally to eight.
He also played six oneday internationals and seven twenty20 internationals.
‘‘No regrets — how can you after 16 years in the game? I was lucky to have a long career and play the game all over the world.
‘‘I always look back on it with the fondest memories. The game gave me so much.’’
While Redmond enjoyed only modest success at international level, he built a fabulous record for Otago.
He is the province’s sixthleading scorer with 4795 firstclass runs at an average of 39.30, including 11 centuries.
Scoring backtoback centuries in his 100th firstclass game was a personal highlight, along with winning the oneday competition in 200708 and going to the Champions League in India.
There were too many highlights off the field but singing karaoke with Jimmy McMillan in Vivace on Monday nights rates up there.
‘‘After we had cleared the joint out, Sunny, the owner, used to take us home!’’
NOW
Redmond lives in Wigan these days and is working as an accountant. The 39yearold played for Wigan Cricket Club as an overseas pro ‘‘years ago’’ and that is when he met his wife, Katie (35).
The couple have two children — Noah (7), ‘‘who is a keen cricketer and promising lefthander’’, and Jonah (3), who ‘‘is shaping up to be a promising All Black’’.
Katie’s son Christian (16) has just started college and ‘‘enjoys playing rugby union, which is a surprise seeing as we live in Wigan’’.
While life has taken Redmond to the other side of the world, he has kept in touch with ‘‘basically all the guys I played with’’.
‘‘We regularly Face Time Ian Butler in Australia. I get my legal advice from Sam Wells, real estate advice from Nick Beard and nothing beneficial from Neil Broom but I still speak to him!
‘‘When you’ve spent so much time with these guys, they’re really like your family away from home.’’
He also closely monitors the Volts’ progress from afar.
‘‘I still like to see how some of the guys are going and the new crop of players are creating their own mark on Otago’s great history.
‘‘The association was a huge part of my family’s life for so long, I will always have a vested interest in Otago. I still support the Highlanders.’’
Redmond plays club cricket for Wigan and is also doing some coaching.
‘‘It has surprised me how much I enjoy it. I’m looking into my level three [certificate] in the next couple of months and it is also something I would like to explore further in the near future.’’
Those plans include a return to New Zealand. The family packed up and headed to the United Kingdom as soon as Redmond retired.
‘‘There’s not a day that goes by that [we] don’t miss Dunners. There’s so many things we miss: fish and chips at the Best Cafe, our earlymorning coffees from The Fix, the slides at the dinosaur park, the botanical gardens and Otago Museum.
‘‘Moving back to the UK was a good move . . . but we certainly plan to make the move back to New Zealand and to Dunedin in the near future.
‘‘I’m at that stage when I’m starting to keep an eye out for potential job prospects.
‘‘It will always be home. It took us moving away to make us realise how much we love the place and the people.’’