Cricket wrap: Captain's cracked ribs, BCs call up, Volts coming to town
“He’s another player who will be experiencing his first senior ICC event, so it will be an exciting few weeks ahead for him.”
We wrap up some Southland cricket happenings including the Southland Hawke Cup captain’s display of courage for his province, Jacob Duffy’s Champions Trophy call up, and Southland cricket fans’ rare chance to see the Volts in their home patch.
Captain Courageous and the cracked ribs…
We should make an apology to Jason Osborne for underplaying his determined effort for his province last weekend when we wrapped up the Southland-South Canterbury Hawke Cup fixture.
The Southland captain was batting in pursuit of South Canterbury’s first innings total of 253 when he took a delivery to his body and was forced from the field.
It turns out Osborne had suffered cracked ribs and there’s little surprise he was in a lot of pain.
Despite this, Osborne returned to bat with Southland nine down and still in search of first innings points.
That’s even with Osborne struggling to get his bat down because of the pain.
Southland ended up losing its last wicket five runs short of South Canterbury’s innings total, with Osborne unbeaten on 52.
The Tribune checked in on Osborne this week to see how he is fairing, and this was the response: “Not too flash. Still in a lot of pain, got a couple of cracked ribs. But not much I can do, just have to rest up.
“[It] hurt more losing though, that was a tough one to take.”
No one can question the ticker Osborne has shown for his province.
Jacob Duffy’s Champions Trophy call up…
Southland’s Jacob Duffy will be part of the ICC Champions Trophy after all.
Duffy has replaced Ben Sears who has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with a hamstring injury.
Sears felt some pain in his left hamstring at the team’s first training in Karachi on Wednesday and a subsequent scan revealed a minor tear that would require at least two weeks’ rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation timeframe means that Sears would likely be available for only the team’s final Group A match against India in Dubai, and so the decision was made to rule him out.
Duffy has already assembled with the team as part of the squad for the ODI Tri-Series against Pakistan and South Africa.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead Stead said Duffy was a strong replacement in the squad.
“Jacob showed with his performances in the recent home series against Sri Lanka that he is more than capable at international level.
“He’s been part of the squad for the ODI Tri-Series so he’s fully acclimatised and he’s got plenty of experience in these conditions and is fit and ready to go.
“He’s another player who will be experiencing his first senior ICC event, so it will be an exciting few weeks ahead for him.”
Stead added the news was bitterly disappointing for Sears.
“We’re all really feeling for Ben,” Stead said.
“It’s always tough being ruled out of a major event at such a late stage, and it’s especially tough in Ben’s case given it would have been his first major ICC event.
“The timeframes for Ben to be fit to play again meant he would likely miss the majority of the group stage, and given the short nature of the tournament, we felt it was appropriate to bring in a player who is fully fit and ready to go.
“Ben is a player with huge potential and given the short rehabilitation timeframe, we’re sure he’ll be fit and raring to go for the home series against Pakistan back in New Zealand.
The Black Caps begin their Champions Trophy campaign in the opening match of the tournament against the hosts Pakistan on Wednesday.
The Southern Volts are coming to town…
Southland cricket fans will get a rare chance to watch top-level New Zealand domestic action in their home patch next Sunday.
The Southern Volts will take on Northern Districts in a Ford Trophy one-day fixture starting at 10.30am at Queens Park in Invercargill.
Entry to the game is free.
It is the sole game the Volts will play in Invercargill during the 2024-2025 summer of cricket.
While the Prince of Queens Park, Jacob Duffy, will be missing because of international duties, Ben Lockrose is expected to line up for the Volts.
Lockrose’s cricketing journey started in Gore as a junior and he has continued to make himself available, when possible, to play for the Southland Hawke Cup team in recent seasons.
The Volts will play Central Stags in Napier on Tuesday before the showdown with Northern Districts at Queens Park on Sunday.