At the half way stage of the One-Day competition we ended up being too far behind having won only one of our first five games before the HRV Cup. However we finished with two strong wins to show what we were capable of but overall a disappointing campaign. Having played in the previous three finals not making the play offs this season was certainly a reflection of how we started the campaign and we will need to switch on quicker to the change in format for next season.

We did have some good performances however during the competition with Neil Broom being a standout with the bat. Having been promoted to number three this season Neil certainly grabbed his opportunity and forced his way back into the BLACKCAPS through a volume of runs. It’s good to have Nathan McCullum in the side who adds intensity in the field along with his strength with both the bat and ball. Shaun Haig also finished strong and has shown he has moved forward in his career. Nick Beard gained valuable experience and improved throughout the campaign.

Our focus now turns to the Plunket Shield. Having won the last two games before the break and almost won a third we had momentum prior to the break. With only one win between the top three teams every game is vitally important.

Our batting line up for the four-day format is very strong with three of our top four batsman having played for the BLACKCAPS and that gives us a lot of confidence. With our bowling, we have eight bowlers vying for only four spots, so selection was tough but we are pleased with the balance we have in our side.

The four-day game takes a lot of patience and it is based around creating sustained pressure. In the shorter forms you might wait just three balls for something to happen. In the four-day game you could be waiting overs and sometimes spells before you are able to build up the pressure.

Coach’s Tip – Fielding

From a fielding point of view it can be long period of time between balls coming to you at times however, you need to assume every ball is coming to you and every fielder needs to have that attitude so when the ball does go in their direction there is no surprise.  Anticipation is the key to any good fielder.