The Knights Biggest Fan

The Best Players

I’ve been asked to come up with a list of the best players I have seen play for our fine province and it’s a tough one.

I had to have seen them play in a capacity where I could really remember them, so only player’s post-1990 have made my team.

I decided that my team would have 5 batsman, 4 bowlers, a keeper and an all-rounder. Beyond that, coming up with this team is just like dealing with the mother in law, a discussion with absolutely no logic, little consistency and even less rational thought.

So, at the risk of offending all the current players that I haven’t picked, here goes nothing…

Bryan Young anchors the innings. Yes, I might have called him a traitorous dog when he went and played for Auckland but he did come back.

The guy had serious game both on the field and off it and, for some reason, the chicks dug the moustache.

He is joined by Kane Williamson. I know he hasn’t opened for us but he has batted at 3 which in New Zealand means you are as good as an opener anyway.

He is the kid you want your daughter to bring home for Christmas, except the back yard cricket will suck when you can’t get him out.

Graeme Hick and Matthew Maynard are at 3 and 4. All you need to know about them is that they made first class bowlers look like 9 year olds.

Shane Thompson gets to slot in at 5. He had forearms like Popeye and a face like my one-year-old baby girl but, man, he could bat. 

Joey Yovich gets the all-rounder’s spot. He is a thousand years old so it is easy to forget he was once upon a time, pretty sharp with the ball.

And his ability to stand tall with the bat in the face of a crisis has him fill the role at 6 with ease.

Rob Hart nudges out Pete McGlashan for the gloves. Mark Richardson still bears the mental scars of going into battle with the diminutive lawyer with the soft voice.

So either Richardson is a big cry baby or Hart was the ultimate opponent. I’ll go with the latter.

We have had some very good spinners - Grant Bradburn, Matt Hart and Bruce Martin to name a few - but sorry guys, Dan Vettori gets my vote.

Here’s a little known fact - not only did Brad Wilson declare when Kane was within touching distance of 300, he pulled Dan out of the attack very next over after he took his 49^th wicket for ND.

Brad ‘Fulton’ Wilson is a top guy though, a fencer who knows what a strainer post looks like and thinks iPhones are “gay”.

Graeme Aldridge is our number 9. He is the most consistent and dependable player I have seen play for the Knights.

There would not be a single person in domestic cricket that doesn’t have total respect for him and he can always be counted on when you need 13 off the last ball to win… oops.

Simon Doull gets the new ball. The king of swing and not a bad bowler. Besides, Bryan Young needs some competition off the park.

Alex Tait rounds out the 11. Just check out his record. It’s staggering he didn’t play for longer.

I decided to run with the Marshall twins as the 12^th man, easily the best fielders I’ve ever seen.

The best players I’ve seen play us? Stephen Fleming gets in there, all class.

Shane Bond is obviously the best bowler I’ve seen roll an arm over but we just didn’t see him enough.

For me, the best player has been Mathew ‘Skippy’ Sinclair. We like to offer Skippy ‘encouragement’ every time we play CD and often he bites back which is great. But as a batsman, he just dominates like no other.

And Skippy, am I ever going to get to read your book before Elvis sings again?

That rounds out the best players I've seen wear the maroon and gold (or pink) of ND. What do you think? Enter the competition with your thoughts on the "best players" of the ND family.

Cheers, Jase

PS. Here is a sweet pic of me and my mate Milo giving Devi some tips at Pukekura Park last summer.