Nethula's world spins around cricket

DOUG FIELD/Fairfax NZ

RAINED-OFF: Central Districts leg-spinner Tarun Nethula had to be content sitting in the Queens Park pavilion yesterday and watching the rain fall as the Otago Volts-Central Districts Stags game was abandoned.

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As the rain fell at Queens Park in Invercargill yesterday, ending the hope of play between the Otago Volts and Central Stags, this sports reporter surveyed the room looking for someone to chat to and someone to base a story around.

Central Districts leg-spinner Tarun Nethula has been a mover and shaker of domestic cricket this season and looks set to play a role at the next level in the coming months.

Nethula was summoned for an interview and while he was keeping an eye on the test match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe on television, he was more than obliging. In double-quick time it become evident that while Nethula has lived in New Zealand for the past 16 years and is happy as a Kiwi, there is an Indian heritage that you couldn't take away from him – that being almost an obsession for the game of cricket.

Nethula doesn't hide the fact cricket is a love and, in particular, the art of spin-bowling.

The official interview lasted seven minutes or so but the chat about cricket continued well past that. It was obvious he enjoyed discussing the sport and second-guessing who would be ranked where as far as New Zealand spin-bowlers go.

As a 12-year-old, Nethula moved with his family from India to New Zealand to live and, like most Indian families, they brought with them the passion for cricket.

He progressed through the ranks in Auckland and in 2008 made his first-class debut.

Nethula took 29 first-class wickets at an average of 38 in his first season with Auckland, but in the next season was used sparingly and didn't have the same impact. That prompted him to look for other opportunities and it was in Central Districts where he found his new home and a ticket to a potential Black Caps callup.

He has impressed this season for Central Districts in both the four-day and limited-overs format.

To highlight just how far Nethula has come, last season Central opted to call in two English spinners in Mike Yardy and Ian Blackwell for the Twenty20 competition, playing them ahead of Nethula. This season his is one of the first names on the team list.

Of course, when any leg-spinner shows an ounce of quality it always raises eyebrows and also questions as to whether he should have a shot at the next level.

The 28-year-old has had success in the Twenty20, 50-over and four-day formats this season but there is conjecture about which of the three he would be best suited to at the next level.

"I'm probably more comfortable playing limited-overs cricket but I think it's the success in the four-day game that you enjoy and savour the most," he said.

Spin-bowlers have been somewhat of a revelation in the Twenty20 format as the game has developed and teams are more commonly stacking their bowling attacks with the slower bowlers.

Nethula will be one of a few who will come into contention to join New Zealand's premier T20 spinner – at the moment Nathan McCullum – in the Black Caps T20 squad to play Zimbabwe.

The Indian-born wristy would not, however, be drawn into ranking himself an outside chance, pointing to the likes of Roneel Hira, from Auckland, and Luke Woodcock, from Wellington, as probably the leading contenders to join McCullum.

However, that doesn't mean he feels he isn't up to it and isn't eager for a go with the Black Caps.

He has an eye on New Zealand's tour to the West Indies in the winter, where spin is likely to play a huge role.

"I would love to play for New Zealand, but it's out of my hands really if I get selected or not," Nethula said.

"I've just got to keep playing well."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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