Steel man fits the fitness bill

Stephen Hill-Haas

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OPINION:  Southern Steel appear to have struck gold with their new strength and conditioning trainer Stephen Hill-Haas, writes Brendon Egan in this week's Nothing But Net.

I caught up with the South African native this week and was thoroughly impressed with what he had to say and how he plans to get the side up to speed and in tip-top shape for the new season.

This year will be only the third year that the ANZ Championship has been around, but already we've seen the step up in professionalism from each season to the next.

The strength and conditioning exponent has become increasingly vital as teams try to hit the ground running and ensure they can survive the rigours of the much longer campaign.

Netballers have often been bagged by some people about their light training programmes and inability to handle the hard yakka that sports like rugby put their players through, but I think that mindset is starting to change.

With Hill-Haas' experience, passion, insight and take-no-prisoners attitude, he could be just the man to give the Steel girls a jump on the competition. I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

Nothing But Net was also delighted to hear of Peter Ingram's inclusion in the Black Caps one-day international and twenty20 squad to face Bangladesh.

I've kept close tabs on Ingram's career since he first burst on the scene as a long curly-haired opener for Central Districts back at the beginning of the millennium.

Ingram suffered some pretty lean times in his first few seasons, but to his credit has toughed it out and worked on his technique.

During the past four seasons or so, he's showed how much he's matured, regularly racking up big scores across all three forms of the game.

He's arguably been one the most consistent batsmen on the domestic circuit in that time and during the past two years I've trumpeted pretty loudly for a place in the New Zealand team for him.

Ingram is handy enough in twenty20 and 50-over cricket, but I'd like to see the New Zealand selectors give him a run in the test side.

It's a gigantic leap from domestic cricket in New Zealand to the test format, but for me Ingram looks a lot more assured at the crease than the likes of Daniel Flynn and Tim McIntosh.

If I had my way, he'd be opening up with BJ Watling at Seddon Park in Hamilton in the lone test match against Bangladesh next month.

brendon.egan@stl.co.nz

» The latest addition to the Southland Times sports department, Brendon Egan is a transplanted Cantabrian who is still in mourning for the Ranfurly Shield. Brendon’s main interests are basketball and football and having spiky hair.

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