Zohrab twins a cut above

David and Thomas Zhorab were born just a minute apart and little has separated them ever since.

The 20-year-old twins have spent every Saturday in summer playing cricket together since they were seven.

Countless hours in the nets and in their garage has seen them become two of the most promising young cricketers in the region.

It has been 14 years since a set of identical twins played for the Black Caps.

Hamish and James Marshall made history by becoming the first identical twins to play international cricket and David and Thomas hope to emulate that journey.

The Zohrabs say they are both incredibly competitive.

“Whether in the garage, out for a run or on the golf course, you always have to come out on top,” says Thomas.

David says, despite the sibling rivalry, they are both very supportive of each other’s achievements.

The Zohrabs say they thrive when batting together, with their mutual game understanding highly in-sync.

“We have had a few mix ups but generally we are pretty good on that quick single,” says Thomas.

The boys also share very similar personalities.

“Dave will say I’m a bit more outlandish than him.”

The brothers are currently living in separate parts of the country with David studying law and commerce at Victoria while Thomas is at the University of Canterbury doing law and criminal justice.

The pair admit they are very close and that it took some getting used to living apart.

“When we come back over summer, we reconnect but it’s good to have our time away, I guess,” says David.

Their first stop when arriving back home is the golf course, followed soon after by a session of garage cricket.

“We have a good garage cricket set up and have had a few battles in there since we were young, we will go spend up to an hour in there.”

After leaving Nelson College, success followed the boys into club and provincial level.

Thomas, an opening batsman and medium pace bowler and David, a middle order off spinner, would feature prominently in two separate Hawke Cup victories for Nelson as well as back-to-back Tasman Premier League titles.

After Thomas almost single handedly won the 2020 TPL title with his stunning spell of 5/19, he would back that up this season with another dominant display.

At 10/2 in the final against Stoke/Nayland, he says he saw that someone had to stand up and try to take the game on.

“It is such a cliché, but you do step up a gear with so much riding on it. I think I play my best when the game really means something.”

Thomas and David would combine for a 92-run third wicket partnership, each scoring half centuries in the six-wicket win.

The twins were just as influential with the ball, Thomas taking 2/12 off ten while David claimed 1/18.

David says the win was the result of the team environment.

“It was an awesome season with a great bunch of guys.”

He says there were eight or so players around their age which translated to being good mates on and off the pitch.

“A lot of us had played through Nelson College and having BJ (Barnett) and Ollie (Jones-Allen) involved really brought the group together.”

Thomas says it is a side that enjoys time off the park just as much.

“We will always have a beer together on Saturday night.”

The Zohrabs say they will be back next year to chase a three-peat with higher honours the long-term goal.

“You have to strive for the ultimate which is playing for the Black Caps and doing it together would be awesome.”