Dion Nash - national selector

Dion Nash has been appointed to the national selection panel. My first thought at the news was “uh oh”, and my doubts were made a little stronger when I heard him saying that he had some very strong views he wanted to bring to selection discussions.

The problem with Nash is that all his views seem to be very strong ones.

On reflection I am now feeling happier with the news. My initial reaction came stemmed from what happened the last time Nash made waves, as a pigheaded and raving player representative during the disastrous cricketer strike some years ago. But it turns out that Nash was shoulder-tapped for this position by Lindsay Crocker, and that means New Zealand Cricket wanted him from the outset. If Martin Snedden has faith in Nash, then I guess I should too.

Nash is pigheaded and passionate. But then his pigheadedness and passion made him an outstanding cricketer. He is also intelligent (he took Nietzsche as reading material on a tour to England) and inspired an immense loyalty in those players he played alongside. This is the man who did so well as New Zealand captain when Stephen Fleming was injured that some demanded he be appointed to the position on a permanent basis.

Okay, so selection meetings will probably involve a fair degree of shouting. And I suspect Nash might sometimes struggle to put aside his blinkers and make selections on form and talent rather than on faith and his judgement of a player’s “commitment to the cause”. But Nash does bring a new perspective, new ideas and will be seen by players to be their representative. And if anyone can keep a pigheaded, passionate selector in line, it will be Nash’s equally pigheaded and passionate fellow selector, John Bracewell.