1st Class Debut: SJ Gellatly

Earlier in the week Mike gave me a heads up that his younger bro, Steve, would be making his first class debut for Wellington against Auckland at Eden Park. Steve had already made his one-day debut for Wellington back in January, but first class cricket (four day cricket here in NZ) is a much greater achievement, if not recognised by most of the cricket heathens in New Zealand.

And that was certainly the same as I turned up at the pleasant Eden Park #2 ground to find that we were doubling the number of spectators - pretty dire when you consider this is the highest level of provincial cricket in NZ and also involved an international test cricketer (James Anderson, who Auckland had controversially acquired from the touring English team to play in the game).

It was the morning of Day 3 in the game and Wellington were around 200-2 after dismissing Auckland for 297 in the first innings. Steve was next in and chatting to him on the balcony showed him to be more than just a little bit nervous. So we left him to his nervous fidgeting and stretches and retired to the stands and waiting for him to make it out on to the middle. Of course, the batsman out there weren't playing ball and carried on from the day before to post a 250-run partnership and keep poor Steve waiting for well over a day for his chance out in the middle.

But it finally came, when some guy "Gal-lat-ly" was announced to the crease. Neverthess we surrounded the ground with the cacophony of our applause (well, my old man and I) as he made his way out there. It wasn't the best of starts, surviving a tough chance he gave to the wicket keeper when getting an edge to good ball from the spinner. But after that he looked nothing but solid, even dispatching James Anderson for a boundary or 2. His biggest threats was the new partner who joined him, also making his debut and doing his best to run Steve out. "Crook" was his name, and his calling was pretty crook, and ironically he eventually did run himself out.

Unfortunately, with Steve progressing nicely on 18 not out, I had to leave for the day to drop the old man at the airport. Murphy's Law prevailed of course, as it must have been about then that Steve lifted it a gear, and when Wellington declared their innings later that afternoon he was still not out on 67. A pretty awesome effort on your debut.

Expecting to be able to catch him later the next day, before I could even get down to Eden Park I found that Auckland had collapsed in their second innings and Wellington won by an innings and 95 runs. But Steve has been selected again and will playing against Otago down in Dunedin from Friday. So hopefully he goes as well again.

Good stuff Steve, obviously facing a young Possenniskie from his full length (well, as much as the back fence would allow) in the back yard paid off.