Richard Sherlock

The future of New Zealand cricket?

You wouldn't believe it from the complete lack of media coverage, but New Zealand 'A' is currently touring South Africa and has just had the better of a three day (not first-class) match against South Africa 'A'. Star performer for New Zealand was the team's most surprising selection, 20 year old Central Districts quick Richard Sherlock. All Sherlock's wickets came from the top order as he took 3-20 in South Africa's first innings of 178/7 and 2-7 in the second innings of 147/4.

I can't even tell you what sort of bowler Sherlock is. He has only played two games for CD and has taken just five first class wickets. As far as I can tell he has not even been selected for an U-19 side. Wisden unhelpfully tells us that he bowls "medium fast" - which usually means nothing except "we don't really know, but he's not a spinner".

CD hasn't produced an out and out fast bowler since Gary Bartlett in the 1950s and '60s - and he was a chucker - so perhaps it is too much to expect Sherlock to be the new Shane Bond. Maybe he swings it and is the new Simon Doull? Surely Sir Paddles and Co. wouldn't have picked just another product spat from the never-ending CD conveyor-belt of boring medium pacers? You know, the sort of dobber who takes umpteen wickets on seaming wickets in the domestic game, but is exposed as being absolute rubbish when picked for the national side (doesn't just saying names like Michael Mason, Andrew Penn and Derek Stirling fill you with sadness?).