The Leader Nelson edition

Over 50s bring 50-over series to Nelson

- TIM O’CONNELL

They’ll push boundaries but New Zealand cricket’s elder statesmen won’t resort to underarm tactics as they take on their Aussie counterpar­ts in Nelson next week.

Jim Morrison has played club cricket in UK, Canada, the US, Australia, and more recently for the local Wakatu club.

Through his friendship with Australian veterans cricket ‘‘Godfather’’ Stirling Hamman, Nelsonbase­d manager and selector of the New Zealand Over 50s cricket team Morrison was asked to be the NZ co-ordinator in arranging a team to compete in the inaugural Over-50s Cricket World Cup in Sydney this November.

As part of tournament preparatio­ns, Morrison has arranged for some friendly fixtures in his home town between the Trans-Tasman rivals.

The three 50-over matches will be held at alternativ­e grounds around Nelson, starting at Marsden Recreation Ground on February 19.

The second match will be held at Brightwate­r Domain on February 20 with the final clash held at the secluded setting of Conway Oval, situated on a private paddock near Brightwate­r, two days later.

While this is the first New Zealand Over-50s side to be assembled, over-50s cricket is already very popular in countries like Australia and England, while Pakistan played a series against Sri Lanka in December.

Having emailed all the cricket associatio­ns and clubs through- out New Zealand seeking nomination­s for the national side, Morrison received about 30 replies from which he picked a squad of 14.

The NZ team features several former first-class players and former ‘Young Gun’ internatio­nal turned Radio Sport commentato­r Richard Petrie.

Petrie played 12 ODIs for New Zealand including the the high- profile 1990/91 tri-series in Australia against a batting line-up that featured David Boon, Dean Jones, Allan Border and the Waugh brothers.

Like so many modern-day internatio­nal teams, a smattering of overseas influence pervades the Kiwi side, from South Africanbor­n Rudie Swanepoel to former Yorkshire Under 23 representa­tive Nigel Fletcher.

South African-born but Walesraise­d former Glamorgan player Adrian Dale has the distinctio­n of outscoring West Indian master blaster Sir Viv Richards in a shared 400-run partnershi­p.

‘‘Someone called me out on [the overseas quota] but I told them it’s probably about the same mix as the current Black Caps team,’’ Morrison said.

Another Nelson connection to the team is wicketkeep­er-batsman Mason Robinson.

A veteran of over 100 senior matches for Wakatu and a NZ Defence Force team stalwart, Robinson scored a century for the Nelson senior representa­tive team in a Hawke Cup eliminatio­n match at Saxton Oval, aged 44.

While the Australian team has already formed a solid unit, including a 17-match tour of the UK last year, the full NZ team will only have one day to gel before the first match.

Morrison said thanks to people like Hamman, Australia had establishe­d a strong veterans structure that NZ was yet to replicate.

‘‘Over there, every state sends a team to a national carnival and selection trial - they have dozens of over-50 teams from which they can pick the best players from that.’’

‘‘In terms of players, they don’t have a lot of big name or internatio­nal players - what they do have is guys who have continued playing right through from their 20s through their 30s and 40s.’’

Despite the gulf in preparatio­n, Morrison was confident of a good showing from the home side.

‘‘We’re such an unknown quantity - because the Aussies have that history of touring together they’ll be the favourites, but we’ll definitely give it a good shake.’’

The public is welcome to attend all matches. However those intending to attend the Conway Oval match are advised to email their interest to over50swor­ldcup@gmail.com.

 ?? MARTIN DE RUYTER/ THE LEADER ?? Jim Morrison, manager and selector of the New Zealand Over-5Os cricket team.
MARTIN DE RUYTER/ THE LEADER Jim Morrison, manager and selector of the New Zealand Over-5Os cricket team.

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