Wellington v CD Stags
Plunket Shield
Day 1, Karori Park
Will Young invested a healthy sum in an iPhone in Napier before heading down to Wellington on Sunday for the Plunket Shield match against the Wellington Firebirds yesterday.
The Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags batsman carved up 121 runs at Karori Park, Wellington, on the opening day but found out he couldn't receive or send texts, let alone make calls to share the joy of his maiden century at No5.
"The phone just broke today," said the right-hander, who turned 20 last month, of the frustration of not being able to contact his mother, Lenise Young, and stepfather, Tony Lendrun, of New Plymouth, and his father, Rolande Young, in Auckland.
Oh, and let's not forget his coach in Taranaki, Devu Banik, and Indian national, who has been honing his skills since he was 9 years old.
Young came in for injured skipper Kieran Noema-Barnett, compiling an innings that included 16 fours and a six as CD were skittled for 260 after Firebirds skipper Stephen Murdoch won the toss and bowled.
"Over the moon" with the opportunity to bat for the Stags in just his sixth first-class game, the former New Zealand Under-19 skipper (right) said he had to play conservatively after CD's top order fell cheaply, although captain Jamie How provided the platform with 45 as opener.
However, Wellington were on the front foot going in to today's play as former CD player Jesse Ryder hit a run-a-ball unbeaten 108 (13th Shield century) to reaffirm the Stags have brought the best out of him this summer.
"Yes, Jesse's made a bad habit of scoring runs against us," Young said, after Ryder smashed 75 against CD last Friday night for the Firebirds' 55-run victory at McLean Park, Napier.
He also scored a ton in both innings of the opening round of the Shield at Nelson Park, Napier, for the Alan Hunt-coached Stags' only loss this summer.
Wellington were to resume today on 176-2 with opener Michael Papps 58 not out as the hosts claimed all four bowling bonus points, thanks to three wickets each from Mark Gillespie and Scott Kuggeleijn.
Black Caps speed merchant Adam Milne was a late withdrawal because of an Achilles injury which CD "didn't want to risk".
Young, who has batted at No3/4 throughout his age-group years and sees himself as a stroke maker, enjoyed batting with How and Kruger van Wyk, who took him to 50 odd before the tailenders came into play.
He said the good wicket and small boundary made things easy.