Elliott still marvels at CWC buzz
A YEAR ago Grant Elliott was suited up, striding down Wellington’s Willis St in a 9-5 job and preparing for life after cricket.
Yesterday he was across town at the Renouf Centre; shaking hands, signing autographs, even posing with politicians as a tick under 500 parents and children arrived for the latest stop on the NZ Cricket roadshow. An estimated 1200 showed up in Auckland at the weekend, a number Elliott can claim to have played a fair hand in boosting.
This week marked six months since the Black Caps’ defeat in the Cricket World Cup final in Melbourne. Five days earlier, Elliott’s cult hero status was sealed with one swipe of the willow at Eden Park that sent a nation into orbit and reduced battle-hardened South Africans to tears.
It saw Elliott regain an NZC contract in July and put on hold his job as business development manager for Retail NZ. He insists it’s not all about him, but the past week has given the father of two sons under 5 cause for misty-eyed reminiscing as children flocked in to meet the players, some in their Black Caps tops and still abuzz.
‘‘I’ve never really played cricket for the attention; but it’s great to get positive attention rather than negative,’’ he said.
‘‘We had amazing memories as a team. To see the kids now, how the World Cup has inspired them, and see the impact you can make as a player, is pretty special. Everyone who played in that World Cup, wherever you go you can see kids and feel like you’ve had a part to play in their career, or their choice of sport.’’
The beard remains, as does the nickname the Hairy Javelin. If he lived on the subcontinent he’d require constant security; instead being recognised a lot in New Zealand is bearable, even welcomed.
‘‘As a country we probably respect people’s space. It’s not like you get
‘When I put my hand out to him that’s kind of what it was about. It could have gone either way, I got it today but the next World Cup it might be different.’ Grant Elliott on his consoling South African fast bowler Dale Steyn, left, during the epic semifinal
mobbed, it’s positive attention and people come up and say ‘thanks a lot’. Everyone remembers where they were in that semifinal.’’
Dale Steyn certainly does. The great South African fast bowler delivered the ball that Elliott sent into the stands, sparking that iconic photo of a shattered Steyn receiving a consoling hand from the batsman. The pair’s paths crossed again on the recent tour of South Africa.
‘‘We caught up but didn’t really talk about it. He’s a great man; very chilled out. We both knew, playing on that massive arena, that it could go either way.
‘‘When I put my hand out to him that’s kind of what it was about. It could have gone either way, I got it today but the next World Cup it might be different.’’
The next World Cup is the Twenty20 version, in India in March. Elliott, 36, is enjoying a break after 14 months of solid cricket, and will play his next match for Wellington in their T20 opener on November 8.
At this stage it’s white ball cricket only for Elliott, but he hasn’t officially retired from first-class cricket. Then there’s 16 Black Caps ODIs or T20s at home against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia before Elliott has a short stint at the Pakistan Super League in February, then back in black for another New Zealand shot at an elusive world title. He’ll make a call on where his career’s headed after that.
‘‘I’ve enjoyed it so much in this environment, it really has been rewarding playing with guys and the way the culture has changed has been awesome. As long as I’m enjoying it and performing I’ll play as long as I can. You spend quite a bit of time away from home and there’s work opportunities so I’ll just assess it at the end of the World T20. I want to aim towards that and it’d be great to play in two World Cups within a year.’’
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