Motueka’s Mr Cricket chasing more success

Cricketer Justin Hobbs is trading sauna-like indoor conditions in Sri Lanka for a very different sort of heat this week – the over 40’s Inter-Provincial Tournament in Auckland.

The 48-year-old is hoping his Wellington-Tasman Firehawks side can claim that title to go with his world championship gold medal the New Zealand 45-49 age grade team won in Columbo.

The latest mission continues Justin’s links with Wellington, as travelling to the capital to play indoor cricket club cricket saw him claim a spot in the
national side for the worlds.

“My Wellington Indoor Sports club provided the coach, his assistant, the manager and six of the players for the New Zealand team,” reflects Justin, as he takes time out from cutting down trees for a mate. “I was surprised to be picked as I had previously only played five tests in a trans-Tasman series against Australia.”

Those club combinations paid off big time as the side took on Australia, England, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the UAE in 16-over matches at the 10-day tournament.

“It was humid. Up to 38 degrees, playing indoors in Columbo, and no air conditioning. Several players passed out,” reveals Justin who reckons his lean physique proved ideal there.

The Kiwis narrowly lost both their matches to Australia but still made the final against them.

“I took nine nine wickets in seven matches and was our best bowler against the Aussies, but I was left out of the eight-man side for the final,” says the right arm medium pacer.

“Our team turned up, laughing and joking whereas the Aussies were as serious as. They knew we were coming for them.”

And they sure did, making 99 runs and then restricting Australia to just 38.

“It was fantastic as the Aussies had a 90 percent winning record and they were bloody annoying,” declares Justin, whose wife Angelique accompanied him to Sri Lanka.

Even though he hadn’t picked him for the final, coach Sunnie Chan took Justin aside and said he wanted him again for the next world series squad.

The former-Abel Tasman water taxi operator only got in to indoor cricket after the excitement of watching his son Liam represent New Zealand at age grade level.

“Liam is now captaining the Tasman Outlaws indoor side, so I want to come back and play for them this year.”

In the meantime, he warmed up for the IPT in Auckland by playing premier club cricket for the Wolves (Motueka-Wanderers) at the weekend.

Liam, 22, and his younger son Blake,18, are also in the Wolves team which won the one and two-day competitions last season and were runners-up in the T20.

With so many cricket commitments, it is almost a full-time job. But self-funding as Justin quickly points out before getting back on the chainsaw.