Kuggeleijn summoned
A month ago, Scott Kuggeleijn was in court in Hamilton on trial for rape.
Now he’s with the Black Caps, as cover for the third test side against South Africa at Hamilton’s Seddon Park.
While the 25-year-old is unlikely to earn a first test cap for New Zealand despite the absence of the injured duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, it’s a sign that his elevation to the top level isn’t far from being complete after a tumultuous two years.
The pace-bowling allrounder first appeared in court in July 2015, when accused of rape.
His first trial, a year later, ended in a hung jury and a second trial last month in February saw the jury return a not guilty verdict to a single charge of raping a woman in May 2015.
During that time, Kuggeleijn has been in outstanding form for Northern Districts with ball and bat. He seemed likely to get a callup to the New Zealand A cricket team to play Pakistan earlier this season but Kuggeleijn asked to be temporarily excused from any potential New Zealand representative playing obligations to avoid ‘‘a significant distraction’’.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said Kuggeleijn was, in the selectors’ view, the most credentialed pace bowler available and demanded selection on the basis of his onfield performance.
‘‘We respect the court process as the most appropriate forum for judging matters as serious as this and will not be relitigating the issue through the media,’’ White said.
‘‘To do so would be manifestly unfair on all parties involved. Scott is subject to the same protocols and expectations as all other members of the Black Caps squad.’’
The right-armer – one of the quickest bowlers in NZ domestic cricket who takes a lot of wickets with a sharp bouncer – has taken 28 first-class wickets in the 2016-17 season at an average of 27.14 and averages 30.27 with the bat this summer.
Only Black Caps one-day quick Lockie Ferguson has been more prolific among the Shield’s pace bowlers, and an injury ruled Ferguson out of a test call-up.
Last Shield season, Kuggeleijn took 38 Shield wickets at 25.81 and made 446 runs at 49.55.
Born in Hamilton, the son of former New Zealand and ND allrounder Chris Kuggeleijn made his first-class debut for Wellington in the 2011/12 season before joining his home association for the 2013/14 season.
Kuggeleijn was called into the squad after Boult failed to recover from an injury that had ruled him out of New Zealand’s second test loss to the Proteas in Wellington.