The future of Otago’s wicketkeeping stocks are in safe hands, coach Dion Ebrahim says.
Otago’s decision to field a loan player in the wicketkeeping slot for its match against Auckland at Molyneux Park last week raised a few eyebrows in the cricket community.
A couple of avid Volts fans took the time to write a letter to the editor, and there was an email received as well.
The common thread was a feeling of disappointment Otago had not taken the opportunity to develop a homegrown player in the absence of regular keeper Max Chu.
Chu stood down due to Covid-19 protocols and his spot went to Central Districts back-up keeper Ma’ara Ave.
Ebrahim said the decision to bring in a loan player was thought through carefully.
Former Otago keeper Mitch Renwick was happy to step in for Chu in his absence. But Ebrahim felt Renwick was too important at the top of the Otago order, and he did not want to put back Renwick’s progress as a specialist batter.
The other option would have been to promote Cam Jackson or Benji Culhane.
Both played for Otago A against Canterbury A in a three day game at Sunnyvale this week.
Ebrahim said they were promising talents but neither was ready for first-class cricket yet.
The step up from provincial A cricket to playing in a Plunket Shield fixture against a strong Auckland side in tough conditions at Molyneux Park was too big, he said.
He felt it was in the best interests of their development to play in the Otago A game instead, so he made the decision to bring in a loan player.
Ebrahim added it was also about a team philosophy to field the strongest possible team.
The Volts could be without wrist spinner Michael Rippon for the remainder of the season.
He will join the Netherlands squad for its T20 and three ODIs against the Black Caps beginning later this month.
Ebrahim said they were still working through with Rippon when he would join the Dutch.
Rippon remains committed to playing for New Zealand. His inclusion in the Netherlands squad does not rule him out for Black Caps selection.
Players can move freely from a lower-tier cricketing nation to a top-tier nation if they are eligible.
However, once they have played for a top-tier nation, they cannot move back down again without first standing down for the required period.
