Aspiring Black Cap shines brightly

Keep going like this and South African-born Devon Conway could be a Black Cap as early as 2020.

The Wellington top order batsman picked up where he finished off last summer, hitting 203 not out as the Firebirds continued their dominance over Otago on day two of their Plunket Shield match yesterday.

Wellington declared after posting a formidable 509-5 at the Basin Reserve and had Otago in all sorts of bother at 114-5 by stumps.

It was Conway’s day, kicking on after being 131 at the start of the day’s play, and bringing up his double hundred with a boundary off quick Nathan Smith, just before skipper Michael Bracewell called his batsmen in.

He hit 26 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock that will have caught the eye of New Zealand Cricket talent spotters.

Conway, 27, arrived in the capital in September 2017 with a dream of following in the footsteps of fellow South-African born cricketers like Grant Elliott, Neil Wagner, and Kruger van Wyk, who emigrated to New Zealand and eventually cracked the Black Caps.

Another South African-raised Firebird Malcolm Nofal was also in the runs, bringing up his second first-class century. Nofal got through to 110 before being bowled by Matt Bacon.

Elsewhere, Black Caps allrounder Colin de Grandhomme struck a timely century for Northern Districts against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Just days before departing for the United Arab Emirates for New Zealand’s tour against Pakistan, the hard-hitting de Grandhomme struck 115 from just 135 balls as Northern Districts gained the ascendancy on day two.

Playing just his second firstclass match for ND after moving south after 12 seasons with Auckland, de Grandhomme led the visitors to a first innings total of 378.

Canterbury were 83-2 in replay at stumps at Hagley Oval.