Van Wyk has wise words for new corporate warrior
KRUGER VAN WYK saved best line for last.
The former Black Cap is a cricketer, not a comedian. But as he and the rest of the Central Districts team digest being New Zealand’s new one-day champions, and plot the Plunket Shield campaign to come, he found the right words for the bloke that won’t be with them.
After 15 years as a Stag, opening batsman Jamie How became a corporate warrior yesterday.
And, first-ball duck aside in Sunday’s final against Auckland, How went out in style.
‘‘I’m really stoked for Jamie [to bow out a winner].
‘‘But I do feel very sorry for him at work today because I don’t think he’ll be asking too many questions in meetings,’’ van Wyk said.
‘‘But he’s been great for CD and a top performer and an all-round good bloke.’’
Which you could say about a lot of the Stags right now.
Beyond their parents, there would not be too many people who would tell you CD’s players were the most talented in the 50-over competition.
But they proved themselves to be the best team, time and again.
In moments of strife – and there were plenty over the 11 matches of
his their run to the always stood up.
‘‘Sometimes talent and potential can be the biggest curse – it doesn’t necessarily mean you perform,’’ said van Wyk.
‘‘What was pleasing was we had so many guys performing and again in the final, where there’s a lot of pressure, it was particularly pleasing to see things just calmly continue like they had been.’’
The Stags were in strife, at 3-2 with How and the side’s other star batsman, George Worker, both out.
But van Wyk (53), Will Young (45), Kieran Noema-Barnett (46), Dane Cleaver (51) and then Doug Bracewell (24 not out) and Bevan Small (29 not out) ensured they posted a competitive 271-7.
Van Wyk knew the ball would swing at Colin Maiden Park.
But he decided the day before that if he won the toss, CD would bat.
That looked a poor decision at 3-2 but the early wickets at least allowed van Wyk to bustle in at four and show everyone how it was done.
The tendency in teams where a lot of players are performing is to leave things for the next guy but van Wyk is such a competitor that he does not allow people to think along those lines.
‘‘That’s the enjoyment comes from performance
title
– someone that and when you’ve done well, you just want more and more. We’ve had some tough times in white-ball cricket over the last two years and that stood us in good stead,’’ he said.
‘‘Those times taught us never to take things for granted and these performances by individuals and, mostly importantly the collective wins, were something that we really enjoyed and wanted to keep going.’’
Van Wyk has captained Canter- bury to a Plunket Shield title and been part of another with the Stags when Noema-Barnett was skipper.
‘‘But this one was really special. It was nice, after some tough campaigns in the past, to fight all those demons and come out on top with a win.
‘‘That was really special and to see so many guys mature as players has been really encouraging and given us something to build on.’’