It was his nickname during the Black Caps’ recent tour of India and Sri Lanka,
but it could just as easily be a moniker for the most patient man in New Zealand cricket.
For five years New Plymouth born-and-raised Will Young has waited for an opening in the Black Caps’ starting Xl, or more specifically, the top five batters.
After being crowned Player of the Series in the historic 3 – 0 clean sweep of India, for the current test series against England he is again poised to be running the drinks.
It’s 7.30 on a Friday morning and Will Young is at Auckland airport waiting to catch a flight to Napier, where he now lives with wife Elise. He’s been away for almost two months and has just returned to New Zealand.
It’s the morning of the (playing shirt) #32’s 32nd birthday.
For the past five years Young has become a fixture in the NZ cricket test squad, but has only been called into the playing Xl if one of the top order batsmen is injured (currently Latham, Conway, Williamson, Ravindra, Mitchell and previously Blundell, Taylor, Raval, and Nicholls too).
He hadn’t played in a Black Caps test match since the end of last summer, when he filled in for an injured Devon Conway as an opener against Australia.
“I then had three months playing county cricket for Nottingham before heading home for some chill time, training and preparing for the sub-continent, if a chance was to come about.”
A scheduled match v Afghanistan in India was rained off, then the Black Caps headed to Sri Lanka for two test matches.
“All the normal top five batsmen were fit so I ran the drinks there. We lost 2 – 0 (the first series defeat New Zealand had suffered to Sri Lanka since 2009) then came home for a week.
“A lot of people asked us, ‘why would you come home for only a week? Why not just stay over there?’ But it was awesome to have a week at home and recharge the batteries a little bit and then head over to India. Time at home is a rarity these days.”
That week proved to be pivotal in the Black Caps’ evolution.
Newly appointed captain, Tim Southee stood down and the team’s best batter (Kane Williamson) didn’t get on the plane to India.
“It only became apparent a couple of days before I flew over that Kane had hurt his groin and therefore I was likely to fill in at his spot (for the first match in the 3-match series against India).”
Which is what happened.
But what came next re-wrote the history books.
HISTORY IS MADE
No-one thought the Kiwis stood a chance, especially with Williamson out and Tom Latham debuting as captain — a role he had only ever done on a part-time basis before.
Of 36 test matches played against India, in India, New Zealand had only ever won two (1969 and 1988). They had never won a test series there. To even think of a whitewash was obviously sheer madness.
The first test was at Bangalore (aka Bengalaru).
“Conditions really suited us — with a bit of rain around, (mid-20s, and not too muggy) — it meant the pitch had a bit of life in it for our seam bowlers, which is typically New Zealand’s strength.
“We bowled first after losing the toss and bowled them all out for 46, which was such an amazing way to start the tour.”
NZ answered with a first innings of 460, then in the second innings India made 462 and the Black Caps were left with a chase of 107.
“They fought back really, really well. We had a tricky chase … lots of teams have stumbled at the last hurdle in India, chasing small targets, so it was massive to be able to knock that off. To be not out (on 48) at the end there with Rachin (Ravindra), was awesome.”
At Pune for the second test, Williamson still wasn’t fit (and remained in NZ) and Young filled in again, performing a solid batting role in the Black Caps’ unprecedented first ever test series win in India.
But it was the final test in Mumbai that really sealed this team’s spot in history. It was the first ever whitewash by a visiting team in a series of three matches or more in India.
Not only were the Black Caps fighting against the Indian team, home crowd and poor form leading into the series, but also conditions that were so hot and energy-sapping that even Team India looked uncomfortable.
“It’s a massive stadium, no wind, humidity was really high. When the sun was out it was baking hot. Luke Ronchi, our batting coach, had some sort of weather app on his phone which he checked at breakfast before going to the ground and it said like 36, 37 degrees but feels like 48. If you were unlucky enough to be out there (at the playing crease) when the sun was out …”
And Young was the out there from just the 3rd over, (when opener Devon Conway went out for 4 and NZ were 15-1), until the 44th over just before tea, when he was bowled by Jadeja for 71 off 138 balls at 159-3.
His partnership with Daryl Mitchell (who joined him at the crease for the start of the 20th over and made 82) was the cornerstone of the NZ innings, with only two other batters making double figures (Latham 28 and Phillips 17).
Young and Mitchell were wilting under the heat of the sun and weight of their helmets and pads. For a while Young batted with just his black cap. Their whites were stuck to them with the sheer amount of sweat their bodies were producing. At drinks breaks sun umbrellas were brought out to shade the two batsmen and ice packs draped around their necks.
“Physically, it was hard to drink enough, or eat enough, as it’s so hot you don’t really have an appetite. With all the fluid sloshing around in your stomach you can feel a bit funny,” Young admits.
“It was physically incredibly uncomfortable but, and I know this sounds a bit cliché, but breaking it down ball by ball and over by over seemed like a big win at the time.”
He had to stay mentally strong for not only his own game, but also to help the visibly struggling Mitchell.
He recalls at one stage during their partnership a key chat that seemed to help. Some background is needed to understand the moment.
“By the time we got to Mumbai we’d won two games —and we weren’t meant to win any. The guys were talking about a whitewash, which had never been done. You’ve got momentum on your side, which is key, and you’re in the battle. I remember saying to Daryl ‘we’re in a great position. We can do this. Come on, keep going.’
“Like we were stuffed, absolutely buggered, but Daryl, he’s incredibly competitive and I think he quite liked that. He had this steely sort of look in his eye and we just concentrated at staying in for the next half hour or so. Get ourselves from parity to a position of strength.”
The Black Caps ended up making 235 and India responded with 263.
In the second NZ innings, Young was the only player to make it past 50, the team posting a total of 174.
With a chase of 147 the match was still within reach for the host team.
During India’s second innings, Young took an incredible one-handed catch from Jadeja when playing at silly mid-on.
“Yeah, in the context of the game it was a massive moment,” Young admits, leaving India at 6-71. They ended up on 121, just 26 runs short of New Zealand’s total.
Every player made a match-influencing, result-shaping contribution at some point, but in a test series bursting with incredible record-breaking performances, it was Will Young who was crowned Player of the Series. A series some commentators suggested was the greatest Test series victory ever.
THE PHYSICAL TOLL
Though a couple of players had minor injuries on the tour, no-one got heatstroke.
“But it is India of course so you’ve got to be really careful with what you eat and tap water and ice. On a tour you’re almost guaranteed to get sick at least once.”
Which most of the team did.
“There was a little bit of a flu thing going round the camp from that Bangalore game. The guys were giving me a bit of stick because I got sick first … they called me Patient Zero. It was just a bit of a nuisance really and the guys boxed on and got on with it.”
“You get really fatigued, but your body loosens up in the heat and actually feels quite good. But then you wind down at the end of the day and warming up the next day you really feel it.
SRI LANKA
About half the team that won the India series came home to prepare for the current series against England. Young stayed on for the Sri Lankan One Day series
“I saw it as a great opportunity to keep playing and get used to ODI cricket again,” as he hadn’t played it for almost a year.
“It was a big ask going from India to Sri Lanka.
“Obviously it wasn’t as successful a series (they lost 2 – 0) … there were a lot of debutantes, some great experiences and lessons learnt for the next crop coming through, which was cool.”
Young made two respectable totals in the first two ODIs and had notched up a half century in the third ODI and was still looking good on 63 when the heavens opened and the match was rained off.
ENGLAND
At the time of this interview Young had been named in the test squad of 13 but didn’t know if he would be playing in the test series against England (the third test is due to be played from 14 – 18 Dec at Seddon Park, Hamilton).
“We’ll just see what happens. I feel like my game’s in good order — I just have to readjust to conditions in New Zealand which will take some time. But it’s exciting — plenty of cricket on the horizon to get stuck into.”
All five of the regular top batters are fit and Young is realistic that the team is unlikely to change the balance of the side so won’t be surprised to be reserve once more.
“So it’s the status quo for me. I’ll keep working hard, keep knuckling down and if and when an opportunity arises I’ll try and make the most of it, whether that’s 3 like I played in India, or wherever in the batting order.”
Batting cover or reserve batsman is a position he is well used to now but not the greatest thing to become accustomed to, he admits.
“I guess it’s part and parcel of being part of such a settled, successful team really. And you know you can say Player of the Series and whatnot, but to be honest the Player of the Series award could have gone to any number of the guys. They all stood up at different times.
“It’s just where I find myself at the moment but hopefully in years to come I can cement a spot somewhere in that batting order and really make a good fist of it when I do get that opportunity.”
QUICK FIRE
The innings you are most proud of?
Probably that last series in India
Have you ever bowled anybody out?
I’ve bowled three overs in my 12 year professional career so far and no wickets
Favourite homemade snack
Elise actually makes some nice Bliss Balls from time to time, otherwise a homemade carrot cake is bloody good
The book I recommend to people
If there’s any budding sportsmen out there I would highly recommend The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford.
The book I’m reading right now
I’ve actually got Michael King’s A History of New Zealand at the moment. I wanted to learn a bit more about home while I was away.
The one thing I always pack
A little speaker for the room, get a podcast going or some music
So what do you listen to?
When I’m overseas I quite like some of the Kiwi podcasts. Between Two Beers or sports, news … get different perspectives on certain things.
Your birthday banquet … what’s on the table?
Hopefully a salad of some sort. Having just been on the sub-continent for the best part of three months you can’t eat any fresh veges so that would be nice, and some fresh fish fried in bit of flour and breadcrumbs
First job
I think you know my first job … (it was actually delivering Live Magazines, which I had forgotten about)
Best travel experience …
Two years ago I was in the UK with Elise and we went over to Norway to the Lofoten Islands. We did some hiking around the fjords and that was just beautiful.
… and the worst
I don’t know, maybe a cricket game in Palmerston North?
After getting out on 71, a cold shower or ice bath wasn’t the first thing on Young’s mind.
“Cricket’s a funny game … it can drive you crazy cos no matter what happens you always just want more. And to get out in the 70s … I had half a mind on batting all day and trying to get 100 and really set the guys up. So I was disappointed.”
