Dion Nash retires from all cricket
New Zealand Cricket media release, May 2, 2002

TelstraClear Black Cap No 180, Dion Nash, has today announced his retirement from all cricket.

Dion has played 32 Tests in a nine-year career spanning from November 1992 to November 2001. He has 93 Test wickets at an average of 28.48. He also scored 729 runs at an average of 23.51.

Dion has played in 81 One-Day Internationals. He has 64 wickets and an economy rate of 4.60. His ODI batting average is 15.60.

Dion's career has been punctuated by injury, the most serious of which was a back injury which kept him out of all cricket for the year 1996. A rigorous programme based around the Pilates method of increasing flexibility got him back onto the park but he continued to be hampered by a series of injuries at intervals throughout the remainder of his career.

Following an injury during the winter tour to Zimbabwe in 2000 it was touted that he may remodel himself as a specialist batsman, but Dion defied the pundits and once again regained his fitness and was able to contribute with both bat and ball.

In his latest return Nash once again showed his fighting qualities. Against South Africa in the VB Series in Australia this summer, and with an inexperienced line-up missing Chris Cairns and Shane Bond due to injury, Nash took the new ball and knocked over the South African top-order taking the wickets of Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Neil McKenzie. He finished with 3-37 off his ten overs.

The highlight of Dion's lengthy Test career was his 56 runs and eleven wickets (6-76, 5-93) during the second Test against England at Lord's in 1994. It was the first time in the history of the game that a half-century and ten wickets had been taken in a Test at Lord's. England held out for a draw when bad light forced Nash out of the bowling attack.

Statistics aside, Dion Nash's contribution to the TelstraClear Black Caps was as much about attitude. His aggressive 'never back down' approach was infectious and he was inspirational in lifting his team-mates with his fiery bowling and energy in the field.

Nash captained New Zealand in the one-day series against India and South Africa in 1998/99 and the Test series against South Africa, when current captain Stephen Fleming was unavailable. He received high praise for his assertive leadership style.

Nash said his constant injury toll had eventually worn him down and there was no doubt that his career had been curtailed but he had no regrets.

"The injuries have played a huge part in my decision to retire but I have had a fantastic career. I have travelled the world and met some great people. I have no regrets about anything I have faced, even the injuries have taught me some valuable lessons.

"Unfortunately I have come to the realisation that the motivation to overcome this latest injury (a hip strain) is not as strong as it needs to be. To compete at the very top you need to be 100 per cent motivated and focussed on achieving and I am not quite there.

"I have plans to finish the house I am in the process of building on Waiheke Island and I am looking forward to some travel overseas from the end of the year," he said.

Chief Executive of New Zealand Cricket, Martin Snedden, said Nash would be greatly missed by New Zealand Cricket, his team-mates and New Zealand supporters.

"Dion has always given a 100 per cent effort. He is the ultimate competitor and motivated players around him. He is a talented player and a gifted leader and it is a great shame that injury prevented him from making a fuller contribution to international cricket."

At first-class level Dion has played for Auckland and, earlier in his career, for Northern Districts and Otago.

Raised in Dargaville, Dion played in age-group representative teams for Northland and Northern Districts. He made his first-class debut in 1990/91 for Northern Districts and played the following season for the side before heading south to attend Otago University. He played two seasons of first-class cricket for Otago then returned north and played a further four years for Northern Districts before he moved to Auckland.

For Northern Districts Dion has played 12 first-class matches making 456 runs at 26.82 (one century) and taking eight wickets.

For Otago Dion played 10 first-class matches, scored 343 runs at 19.05 (one fifty) and took 26 wickets at an average of 19.19. He also played 18 one-day matches averaging 26.93 and took a further 26 wickets at 22.20.

Dion has represented Auckland since 1998/99. He has played 11 first-class matches, made 561 runs at an average of 31.17 (one fifty, three centuries) and taken five wickets.

He has played 14 one-day representative matches for Auckland. He has averaged 29.07 with the bat and taken two wickets in those matches.

Chief Executive of Auckland Cricket, Lindsay Crocker, said: "Dion goes from the game with a respect from most of his team-mates, opposition players and officials that few can match. Long after the statistics become less important and memories of him playing fade, this respect will serve him well in future. That to me is the most important and lasting legacy of an impressive, if interrupted, career," Crocker said.

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