Giant fast bowler seen as young talent destined for Black Caps
Kyle Jamieson's name flashed around the world, after he snared six wickets for seven runs in the Super Smash. Jamieson, who has just turned 24, recorded the third best bowling figures in T20 history as his Canterbury team dealt to the Auckland Aces at Eden Park. The giant fast bowler, who can hit the 140km/h mark, is actually an Aucklander. He's regarded as a young man on an inevitable rise in the Black Caps. Here’s 11 things about him.
1 Jamieson was in the Auckland Grammar first XI for three years playing as an opener or at No 3. He moved to Christchurch on a Lincoln University scholarship, studying for a Bachelor of Commerce.
2 At 2.03m, Jamieson is even slightly taller than ‘‘Two Metre’' Peter Fulton, Canterbury's former New Zealand opener. Or to put it another way, he's about the same height as All Black lock Brodie Retallick. If he makes the New Zealand team, Jamieson will be in a group of players rated the tallest in international cricket behind the 2.19 Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan. Two fine former fast bowlers, West Indian great Joel Garner and Aussie Bruce Reid, are among those about the same height as Jamieson.
3 Jamieson has serious form . . . with the bat. Batting at number eight, he scored a 110-ball century against England in Hamilton during an unofficial game last year. England may not have done much homework on him. His highest first class score at that point was 40, and his average 14. His onslaught led to a bit of a spat with a frustrated England bowling star James Anderson, although fellow paceman Mark Wood was very complimentary.
4 His first class debut for Canterbury against Wellington in 2014, when he failed to take a wicket in 30-odd overs and scored a duck.
5 Jamieson comes from cricketing stock — his dad Michael was a premier batsman for Papatoetoe.
6 He has received a decent tick from recently departed Black Caps coach Mike Hesson, who tweeted: "An impressive bowler who at 6ft 8in can swing it . . . another one to add to the Black Caps stable".
7 Black Caps star Tim Southee played against him a few years ago and said: "He's got something different to everyone else in first class cricket, obviously his height and there's not many of those guys going around in the world, so he's got an added advantage there and hopefully of his major injuries are behind him."
8 He was in the New Zealand team for the 2014 under-19 World Cup. He also made the New Zealand A side — which included test specialists BJ Watling, Jeet Raval and Neil Wagner — who played against a Pakistan combo in Dubai late last year.
9 Injuries have been an issue, including two years ago when he broke a foot bone while jogging after a ball in training. He was among the top wicket takers in the Plunket Shield at the time. He had previously suffered an ankle stress fracture.
10 There was no overcelebrating his six wicket T20 stunner. "I'm not a big stats man," he said. ‘‘But it's a pretty cool thing, something I'll be able to look back on in the days and weeks to come."
11 NZME cricket correspondent Andrew Alderson says: "At 24-years-old it's a matter of when rather than if he plays for New Zealand. I think it will be a struggle for him to make the World Cup team this year, given the breadth of options, but it would be hard to deny his value as a point of difference longer term. He could have value in any form of the game because of the steepling bounce he generates.’’