Feb 16th,2002

By Andy Brown

Kiwi Chris Nevin , recalled to the New Zealand one day team at the expense of Adam Parore, is relishing the opportunity to play against England, which is almost his second home.

The 26 year old Wellington Wicketkeeper and former New Zealand Under 19 captain spent four summers playing club cricket in Hampshire and also represented the Hampshire Cricket Board side in 1999 in the Natwest Trophy.

The pint-sized Nevin was thrown into the lion's den for an international debut against Australia in 2000, being asked to open in his second match and impressing with a superb 74. He showed his attacking abilities against the finest bowling side in the world as New Zealand continued to search for an opening partner for Nathan Astle. Injuries curtailed his immediate progress thereafter and Parore reclaimed his place, to the extent that Nevin was selected as specialist batsman for the tour to South Africa.

At the end of a slightly disappointing series, Nevin was dropped, although two excellent half centuries proved that his often improvised stroke play could work at the top level. Nevin was overlooked the following season despite many calls for his return, and was aggrieved to miss out on chances against Zimbabwe and India. When finally selected as wicketkeeper for the Pakistan series in September 2001, the cancellation of this tour came as a bitter blow, particularly when the kiwi selectors strangely turned to Adam Parore again for the recent tri-series with Australia and South Africa.

As the New Zealanders continued to struggle at the top of the order, they have turned once more to Nevin who can offer the speedy start needed to a team with loads of batting depth all the way down to Dan Vettori at number 10.

To play against England is a dream come true for Nevin, but one that still seemed a way off in 1995 in his first summer as overseas player for Liphook CC in the Southern League. Three ducks in his first 4 innings almost saw him dropped, but his high class references from New Zealand ensured he was persevered with, and he scored 3 hundreds in his next four innings.

Returning to the Hampshire club for 3 further successful seasons, he temporarily abandoned his wicket-keeping to concentrate on his batting, a ploy that has clearly worked. Strangely, he was also asked to bowl on one occasion for Raj Maru's Hampshire Cricket Board side in the Natwest, but 3 overs for 26 runs are testimony only to his wicketkeeping. The Board side, which included Hampshire's rising star Lawrie Prittipaul, earned a tie against Glamorgan CCC, and Nevin's half century looked likely at one point to turn the match the amateurs' way

But Nevin has also been careful to develop his keeping, his agility overcoming any disadvantage in reach, and as Wellington's regular keeper he took the New Zealand domestic record for dismissals in a season.

The other high point of Nevin's summers in England is that he met his English fiancee, and they are due to be married in Horsham, Sussex later this year.

"Hi ho hi ho, its off to work we go" is the tune played to salute the hugely likeable gloveman. Short he may be, but England's bowlers must work hard to contain this freescoring strokemaker as they strive to avoid a series defeat to a confident New Zealand side.