'Good keen kid' makes it into Black Caps squad

MATT RICHENS

Not Many adolescent cricketers are lucky enough to be neighbours with a Black Cap, let alone enjoy the benefit of playing on a specially mown pitch in his backyard.

But in one of those only-in-New Zealand stories, the New Zealand cricket team's latest bolter named in its squad yesterday is a pupil and now distinguished graduate of the Warren Lees after-school cricket academy.

Lees had not long retired from cricket when Sam Wells befriended one of his sons and started showing up at his Maori Hill home in Dunedin for friendly games.

Yesterday he was named a likely 13th man for the one-off test against Zimbabwe starting on Thursday.

Lees says he remembers Wells playing against son Greg, but said there was little about him that screamed future Black Cap.

"That was a long time ago, but I just remember him being a little fella who wanted to play cricket," he said.

"He was never a superstar, just a good keen kid who was thrilled just to be playing the sport."

It's a meteoric rise for Wells, who just a fortnight ago was playing in the Otago A side, unable to make the Volts' HRV Cup team.

The resounding theme from those close to the 27-year-old allrounder is that he's had to fight hard for every opportunity he's been given.

Lees said unlike some who waltz through the grades almost as a right, Wells' rise to the top is a reward for a lifetime of hard work at every level.

Nothing came easy for him and even playing for Otago Boys' High School's first XI, he wasn't a star.

"He was just a good honest cricketer who had ability with the bat and the ball," Lees said.

"The rest is hard work."

Lees believed that will hold him in good stead should he get to play for the Black Caps.

He's followed Wells' career from an early age and yesterday called his mother Trish to pass on his congratulations to his former neighbour.

Wells' father died when he was just two.

Though those close to Wells aren't surprised at the call-up, he is such an unknown outside diehard domestic cricket followers, the TVNZ website, among others, mistakenly ran a picture of Otago's Ian Butler instead of Wells.

He has first-class form, but still struggles to make Otago's one-day side and was somewhat of a surprise at being invited to train with the Black Caps at Lincoln last September.

However, he's clearly ticked a box with national coach John Wright and is obviously being groomed to fill the vacant medium pace bowling allrounder's spot.

Wells has a law degree from Otago University, but has not yet passed the bar exam as summers cricketing in New Zealand and winters playing in Britain have got in the way.

Otago Volts coach Vaughn Johnson joked that Wells was often too intelligent for his own good, but said he wasn't surprised at his inclusion in the test squad.

"He's taken every opportunity he's been given and done well with the bat and the ball in front of the right people," Johnson said.

"He's a very organised strokemaker who can play 360 degrees around the wicket.

The lanky and laid-back Wells is a stylish left-handed batsman with a first class average of 38.10 and two hundreds.

He plays his shots and though he has the ability to hang around defensively, he's more comfortable attacking.

He hits the ball hard, but can work singles too and in the unlikely event that he makes the playing XI on Thursday, would probably bat at eight behind the wicketkeeper, though he'd be comfortable at six or seven as well.

As a bowler he can both swing and seam the ball and can get it through in the mid-130kmh range.

"I'm not surprised at all that he's been selected, I guess I'm just a bit surprised that it's happened so quick," Johnson said.

- © Fairfax NZ News