Sodhi keen to learn more from master of spin

Northern Knights leg- spinner Ish Sodhi would love to get regular coaching from Shane Warne.

The Black Caps rookie and the Australian superstar spent over 90 minutes discussing their craft in Melbourne last weekend and Sodhi, who is part of the Knights side that will play their Twenty20 match against the Canterbury Wizards in Mt Maunganui today ( 4pm start), said he’s extra keen to repeat the mentoring session.

‘‘ I’d like to make it a reasonably regular thing,’’ Sodhi said. ‘‘ It really comes down to if he’s got the time, but it’d be worth it.’’

He described the advice he received from Warne, who took 708 test wickets, as ‘‘ massively helpful’’.

‘‘ It’s probably the best coaching session I’ve ever had.’’

Sodhi, 21, said he didn’t need to ask a lot of questions; just to listen to what Warne was happy to tell him.

‘‘ It was mostly tactical and mental – there wasn’t a great deal of technical work,’’ Sodhi said. ‘‘ It was about how to work a batsman out and how to get him out – just little ways to make every part of the ground in your favour to get wickets, not just with the ball in your hand.’’

Sodhi made his test debut this year and admitted he was still trying to improve his game.

‘‘ The transition’s been pretty quick, so I haven’t had too much time to soak it all up.

‘‘ I think now I’m starting to understand what I need to be better at for test cricket – that’s probably been the biggest learning of the past four or five months.’’

Since being part of the NZ side that won the recent test series 2- 0 over the West Indies, Sodhi has gone from the longest form of the game to the shortest with the Knights team that leads midway through the HRV Twenty20 competition.

However, he said he doesn’t need to change much about the way he bowls.

‘‘ With leg spin bowlers you’re always looked at as an attacking option.

‘‘ As long as you’ve got your field set in the right way you’re OK to bowl the way you normally do.’’

The SkyCity Knights side for today’s match has been bolstered by the inclusion of test star Trent Boult.

The left- arm swing bowler hasn’t been wanted by the national side for their one- day series against the Windies and comes into the ND side that defeated the Central Stags in Nelson last week to replace Australian import Chris Tremain.

Today’s hosts share top spot on the table with the defending champion Otago Volts, who have played six matches to the Knights’ five. Northern will also meet the Wellington Firebirds at the same Bay Oval venue on Saturday and back- to- back wins would guarantee them a place in the finals series to be held at Hamilton’s Seddon Park later this month.

Sodhi said he and his team- mates weren’t thinking too far ahead after the Knights had early success in past T20 campaigns only to fall away in the second half of the competition.

‘‘ The coaching and management staff have been good at keeping us grounded and not taking things for granted,’’ Sodhi said.

‘‘ I think that’s going to be massive over the next few games. Obviously, there’s a lot to look forward too as well but if we keep doing the little things right.’’

The Central Stags were outhit and outplayed by the Wellington Firebirds in a rain reduced domestic Twenty20 cricket match in New Plymouth last night.

The match was reduced to six overs aside after an hour long heavy downpour soaked the ground just 15 minutes before the match was about to get underway on time at 4pm.

Play finally got underway at 6.20pm. Under the rules, one bowler was permitted to bowl two overs and four others just one over.

The Firebirds 88- 3 from their six overs batting first with Grant Elliot clubbing 33no while import Graham Napier’s aggression was on full display scoring a quickfire 28no.

Doug Bracewell in his first game back from injury bowled his one over going for eight runs and picking up the wicket of James Franklin. Oram bowled two overs and after being knocked around in his first came back to leak nine in his second which included two dot balls.

The Firebirds total was always going to be competitive and when Firebirds opening bowler Brent Arnell picked up the wickets of Jamie How first ball and import Josh Cobb with his sixth it was all downhill for the home side.

The Stags were never in the hunt and at 4- 24 after four overs and Peter Trego ( 20) and Keiran Noema Barnett ( 2) back in the pavilion there was no hope of getting anywhere near the required target.

Carl Cachopa was the only Stags batsman to look in any sort of form and he finished unbeaten on 22.