Father, son team up in Easts bid to beat Norths

At 44 and fresh up from a spell, Doug Pollock hopes he can break his senior club century drought for Eastern Suburbs today.

But a few catches off his son's bowling would do nicely instead.

It doesn't happen often, if at all in Wellington cricket in recent times, but Pollock and his 19-year-old fast-bowling son Andrew will be team-mates for Easts B in their Hazlett Trophy match against North City B at Linden Park.

The Easts club chairman and Wellington selector decided to dust off the whites, even if he might be a tad rusty against the new ball.

"I play a few Wanderers games and I've played the odd Hazlett game over the last couple of years," Doug Pollock said.

"We've got a big weekend of cricket and with the Firebirds being available that makes Norths' Hazlett team a bit stronger. I thought I'd put the whites back on and open the batting."

The Yorkshireman was the overseas pro at Tawa in the late 1980s, then played at Johnsonville through the 1990s while coaching director for Cricket Wellington.

He counts over 5000 senior runs and seven centuries, but no tons since he came back to play for Easts in 2003.

It's the first senior outing together for father and son, after rain ruined day two of their match against Petone earlier this season when Pollock Sr was summoned to Easts' ranks.

Andrew Pollock also carries a poignant connection with the late Andy Roberts, the pair sharing the same initials, ADG.

Doug Pollock took over as Wellington coaching director after his friend Roberts' sudden death in the early 1990s. Andrew Pollock was born 18 months later.

A product of Paraparaumu College, Andrew has found his feet this summer as one of the sharper Hazlett bowlers.

"He's shown a bit of promise as a quick bowler and he got a six-for against Petone," Doug Pollock said. "I'll be opening the batting and he'll be opening the bowling [today]. I'll stand at first slip and hopefully hang on to one if he gets a nick.

"I'm just delighted my lad's playing a team sport. There wouldn't be too many father-son combos so it's a bit of humour."

The most recent father-son duo in Wellington senior cricket is thought to be Tawa's Kevin and Kelvin O'Meara in the early 1990s.

Trevor McMahon (Collegians) and his son Phil (Midland St Pat's), played one senior match against each other in 1981. Trevor was 51 at the time, having made a belated comeback to help the club out.

- © Fairfax NZ News