'One last shot'
Nash applied himself earnestly to the task of batting for
Auckland for the remainder of the Max series and every match
of the Shell Cup and Shell Trophy competitions which followed.
During a Shell Cup match in Hamilton in December, Nash contributed
71 runs in Auckland’s thumping 109-run defeat of Northern
Districts. In Christchurch a week later, Nash led the Aces
to a four-wicket win in the absence of Blair Pocock. While
Nash’s form for Auckland was reasonable, however, it
was hardly enough to justify his consideration as an international
limited-overs batsman. Nash seemed to realise that ‘Plan
B’ was not working as he had hoped.
Auckland’s Shell Trophy match against Wellington in
early January 2001 was a turning point. Nash scored his first
century of the season in the second innings. That achievement
was a vital confidence-boost for Nash, both in terms of his
batting campaign for Auckland, and his comeback ambitions
more generally. "I committed myself to playing for Auckland
as a batsman but till you actually do something like today
there is always an element of doubt," Nash said. More
significantly, his century in Wellington gave Nash the courage
to try to bowl again. "I rolled my arm over in the nets
last night and I might be able to bowl a bit of medium pace
as the season goes on," Nash said at the conclusion of
the match. "I got through about four or five overs. It
was only off about five paces but it was nice even to think
about bowling again. It’s the first time I’ve even
been able to get through my action".
By the end of the month, Nash was bowling in training sessions
at what he described as "a reasonable clip". "My
mood has picked up now and I am a bit more positive,"
Nash said, expressing his desire to bowl again for New Zealand,
but he was unable to make any estimate of when he might possibly
return to the national side. "I’m still looking
at my feet, I haven’t lifted my head to look into the
future yet," Nash said. Presumably, the possibility of
Nash making yet another international comeback was in the
national selectors’ minds as well when they picked him
to captain the North Island Selection XI which defeated Sri
Lanka on January 28.
Nash’s return to First Class bowling came four days
later when, as newly appointed Auckland captain, he bowled
two short spells against Central Districts in Palmerston North.
Although he bowled only two wicketless two-over spells in
the first innings, it was a significant achievement for Nash
and match reporter Steve McMorran did not hesitate in labelling
it "the bowling performance of the day". Nash went
on to score a good 64 when Auckland batted. Then, bowling
at medium pace, Nash claimed 3/16 off seven overs in the second
innings, guiding Auckland to an eight-wicket victory. When
interviewed the next day, Nash was pleased to report that
his back felt "okay" and, in fact, said he found
it difficult restricting himself to mere medium-pace. "I’m
just bowling within myself, taking things pretty easy,"
Nash said.
By now, Nash had realised how important it was to ‘take
things easy’; he recognised that trying to come back
too soon was what had undone him in Zimbabwe. New Zealand
Cricket’s convenor of selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee,
watched most of the game in Palmerston North and talked at
length with Nash afterwards, but Nash de-emphasised that fact.
"He just asked how I was going and congratulated me on
my batting," Nash said. A few days later, however, with
the a one-day series against Pakistan looming, Hadlee told
the other side. "He [Nash] basically said he was very,
very keen to come back but just wanted a wee bit more time."
Obviously, Hadlee had been interested in Nash possibly returning
as early as the Pakistan series. "I was impressed with
what I saw in Palmerston North. He was off his normal run
and was getting the ball through nicely so it is great news,"
Hadlee said.
A week before the one-dayers began, however, Nash ruled himself
out of the series. Nash admitted that it was difficult to
say ‘no’, but did not wish to jeopardise his recovery.
"I feel like I am still a bit under-prepared to start
playing international cricket, as much as I’d like to
be there," Nash said in mid-February. "I’m
now where I was at the start of the season and I made the
mistake of going back a month early then. I really don’t
want to do the same thing again and embarrass myself and the
selectors and let everyone down," he explained, referring
to his ill-fated ‘comeback’ in Zimbabwe. Nash also
made it clear that he was taking full charge of his recovery
process and that, while he was ambitious, would not be taking
any risks. "I’m the only one who really knows where
I’m at with my body and, believe me, if I thought there
was a slim chance I’d be able to do it, I’d be jumping
at it. But I just don’t feel I’m there yet,"
Nash said. "I’m starting to bowl four over spells
here and there and, while it feels good, it is taking me time
to recover. I have to be careful because I don’t want
to break down again and end up back where I was."
Nash continued bowling short spells for Auckland throughout
the remainder of the season, and finished with five Shell
Trophy wickets at an average of just over 25. Come the end
of the season, it was time to re-assess his position. He went
to Christchurch for the end-of-year New Zealand Cricket fitness
assessments at the High Performance Centre. As early as mid-March,
Chris Cairns told the New Zealand Herald that Nash was "going
to give it one last shot to try to come back", hopefully
for the tour to Australia, where he has never played a Test.
Nash still had not made a final decision on his future, however,
and took time out — on a tramping trip — to think.
Then, in May, he made his decision official. "I feel
I owe it one more go," Nash said. It was not a simple
decision, however. "I was pleased to bowl for Auckland.
It gave me an idea of whether I could bowl with pain or not,"
Nash explained after making his announcement, but added "I
wasn’t sure if I wanted to go through it [the comeback
process]". Ultimately, however, the thought of playing
international cricket again — and, in particular, the
tour of Australia at the end of the year — proved to
be big enough "carrots". Nash knew he had a huge
challenge ahead of him to get fit but, he said, "I am
not going to give it away yet."
Next Page >>
[Retirement Feature]
|
