The New Zealand Herald

She’s quite a catch — Black Caps gloveman in frenetic itinerary

- Lachlan Waugh

Isolation, an internatio­nal flight and an engagement in the space of 24 hours seems like an almost impossible task to pull off. But not for Tim Seifert.

The Black Caps and Northern Districts gloveman has enjoyed a whirlwind couple of months that’s seen him play in two global Twenty20 leagues, before returning home to link up with the national side ahead of a busy home summer of cricket. Seifert competed in the Caribbean Premier League for the Trinbago Knight Riders in August and September, and then joined the Kolkata Knight Riders almost immediatel­y after for the Indian Premier League, which wrapped up earlier this month.

The 25-year-old is likely to take the pitch for New Zealand in their opening Twenty20 internatio­nal against the West Indies at Eden Park tomorrow — the first of three T20 matches before two tests.

Seifert managed to find a pocket of time between flights to propose to his partner — and now fianceé — Morgan.

He reveals just how tight that window was.

“I found out that KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders] were interested in me to go to the IPL [with] about three days left in my New Zealand isolation,” he says.

“Got out at Wednesday at midday, then Thursday the next day at five I had a flight out to Dubai. Had about 20 hours at home, dropped the knee to my girlfriend which was quite exciting, but then it was straight on a plane away to the IPL.

“[The proposal] made my life a little bit easier, with being away. It was fantastic; I had a plan to do it after I came back from the CPL isolation. Obviously things have changed since then with getting the call-up to KKR. I thought it would be a great opportunit­y to do it in those 20 hours, and it’s actually amazing what you can do in 20 hours.”

It’s paid dividends during his many isolation stints as well. Along with Netflix, YouTube and books, Seifert has managed to fill his time with wedding planning.

“My isolation after this will be about 50 days so I definitely experience­d the isolation life, but I wouldn’t change it for anything with the opportunit­ies that I’ve had.

“I’ve been pretty lucky with my isolations, even the one coming back from New Zealand we were in a little CPL bubble.”

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