In like Finn: Prodigy turns heads
Four years after he made his domestic Twenty20 debut as a 17-yearold, Finn Allen is in fine form for the Wellington Firebirds.
The end of that sentence might have come as a surprise had you shared it with him after his first outing back in January, 2017, for the Auckland Aces against the Central Stags.
But after 31⁄2 seasons stuck behind a starstudded lineup of internationals in his hometown – the likes of Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman – the batting prodigy made the move to the capital last winter.
And over the past few weeks, since the opening match of the Super Smash season on Christmas Eve, the 21-year-old has started to reap the rewards.
With innings of 53 off 23 balls, in the Firebirds’ first-up win over the Aces; 91 off not out off 50 balls, as they beat the Northern Knights on New Year’s Day; and 75 off 39 balls, as they beat the Knights again last Saturday, Allen has shown why he’s long been pegged as one to watch.
After his debut, which came almost three months before his 18th birthday, Allen only played one more T20 for the Aces in the next 31⁄2 years, as well as 13 oneday matches and nine first-class matches. It was his search for more action that spurred his decision to look elsewhere.
‘‘I had a phone call with [Firebirds coach] Glenn Pocknall during lockdown and asked where he saw me within the Wellington set-up and I got some good feedback from him, which encouraged me to make the move in terms of playing opportunities.’’
Allen hadn’t really fired for the Aces, passing 50 three times in 14 first-class innings and once in 13 one-day innings, and he made his move to Wellington with their blessing.
‘‘Obviously it would have been nice to play a few more games for Auckland, but it’s pretty tough up there to crack that top side when they’ve got so many good players that are on the brink of the Black Caps or are Black Caps,’’ Allen said. ‘‘I definitely left Auckland on good terms. They were happy for me to go out and get some opportunities elsewhere, so that obviously made things a bit easier for me too.’’
That Allen was a player with potential was clear from his time with the national under-19 side, for whom he scored 663 runs in 17 matches at an impressive average of 47.35 with a highest score of 115 not out.
Then there was the century he made for a New Zealand XI against the touring England side at the end of 2019 – an innings of 104 that included 10 fours and two sixes against an attack that included international stars Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
Allen admits to feeling nervous before that knock, but he said he came away from that encounter with a great deal of confidence.
‘‘They were a pretty good side to come up against.
‘‘I was definitely pretty nervous but being successful against that kind of attack definitely left me feeling I can do it at that level – it’s just a matter of doing it consistently.’’
Powered by Allen’s runs at the top of the order, the Firebirds have won four from four to start their Super Smash title defence, and they’re in action again today against Otago in Dunedin.
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper John Ward, who once placed a piece of copper pipe in his glove to protect his injured thumb, has died aged 83.
South Canterbury Cricket life member and patron Ward died on Tuesday in Timaru after a short illness.
He played eight tests for New Zealand between 1964 and 1968 and was a regular behind the stumps for Canterbury, playing 95 first-class matches.
A product of an interesting selection system at that time, Ward was picked for the 1958 tour of England before he had represented Canterbury, convincing the selectors to take him as Eric Petrie’s deputy after a strong performance in the North v South match – which doubled as his first-class debut.
Ward’s test captain John Reid once said he was ‘‘easily the best wicketkeeper in New Zealand in his time, but was plagued by injury’’.
His test career may have been more impressive had it not been interrupted three times by injuries to two different fingers and a thumb.
The innovative Ward told Stuff in 2016 he placed a piece of copper pipe in his glove to protect his thumb once it had healed. Timaru Hospital also designed a rawhide guard to protect a finger on another occasion.
‘‘Basically it was up to you to sort it out,’’ he said.
‘‘There were no doctors or medics travelling with you back then.’’
The 99th New Zealand test cap, he played in eight tests after debuting against South Africa in Wellington in 1964.
He took 16 catches and stumped one batsman in his eight tests. His highest test score was 35 not out against India in Chennai in 1965, a match New Zealand drew.
In 1968, the New Zealand Cricket Almanac named him player of the year along with Noel McGregor.
Ward was a handy legspinner early in his career and it was only because Timaru club side Old Boys decided to have a second senior side that he picked up the gloves.
‘‘No-one wanted to be the wicketkeeper, so I thought ‘OK, I will have a go’,’’ he told Stuff in 2016.
Ward went on New Zealand’s six-month tour to England in 1958, only the fifth Kiwi side to tour there, but didn’t play a test.
He later undertook two further six-month tours, one to South Africa (1961-62) and the other to India and on to England (1965).
‘‘It was a fantastic time and we saw plenty of the world.
‘‘There was no money, but it didn’t cost you anything either – everything was supplied, including cigarettes.’’
Former South Canterbury and Canterbury pace bowler Harvey King said Ward was a classy, undemonstrative wicketkeeper, blessed with quick feet and hands.
‘‘He had marvellous hands. When I first played for South