Aldridge calls time on cricket career

Graham Aldridge, 37, has finally called time on an outstanding career for the Northern Knights. PHOTO/FILE

Northern Knights veteran pace bowler Graeme Aldridge has finally called time on an illustrious career.

The 37-year-old known to all as G bowled his last over for the Knights in the four-day Plunket Shield match against Canterbury that finished in defeat at Bay Oval on Good Friday.

"I am proud of everything I have done for 15 or 16 years now," Aldridge said. "I have honestly worked hard, and tried to prepare well for each season. It took a while to learn that. It sounds simple but I just really focused on that preparation.

"The bonus of only having a little taste of international cricket is I have always had the winter to get fit again. The international boys are on the road a lot and they don't get those breaks."

Aldridge is the leading wicket-taker in New Zealand's domestic one-day cricket history and the only bowler to take more than 300 first class wickets for Northern Districts - a record that may never be bettered. His 355 scalps easily beats next best Cliff Dickeson (282).

He remembers well his debut game for the Knights in February 1999 and his first wicket.

"It was against Wellington at Seddon Park, my favourite ground. I didn't get my first wicket until about the 20th over and then I got Mayu Pasupati. But I am not really into stats. I do look at them but winning games has always been the key for me and contributing to that."

Aldridge had to wait until 2011 to finally get the call up to play for the Black Caps. He played two ODIs and a T20 international on tour against Zimbabwe.

"I don't have any regrets about not playing international cricket. I wasn't quick enough I guess. I got a taste of it and probably didn't take my chances as well as I should have anyway."

Aldridge was the first student from Otumoetai College to play for New Zealand and a role model for the school's second Black Cap Trent Boult. He has been a consummate professional, polite and well-mannered to umpires, opponents and media throughout his long career. He will be sorely missed as much for the spirit he played the game in as for the long spells of accurate outswing bowling and bags of wickets he took.

Aldridge is not sure what the future holds except for spending more time with his six-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. He has a teaching degree and has started a university degree in business studies to give him more options. Coaching cricket in the future appeals but he wants a clean break from the game first.

He has certainly earned it.

Graeme Aldridge
Age 37
Educated Otumoetai College
Clubs Mount Maunganui, Whakatane
First class
Debut 1998-99, v Wellington, Seddon Park
First class career 123 matches (119 Northern Districts)
Bowling 364 wickets, 28.29 average, 3.02 economy, 14 x 5-wickets, one x 10-wickets
Batting 2339 runs, average 19.82, 5x 50s
List A limited overs
Matches 138, wickets 185, average 27.71, economy 4.85 runs per over.
Twenty 20
Matches 49, 42 wickets, average 28.42, econ 8.63
New Zealand ODIs
Matches 2 v Zimbabawe, Oct 22 - 25 2011, 1/45, 0/ 53
New Zealand T20
v Zimbabwe, Oct 17, 2011, 4-0-45-1
Bay of Plenty
Matches 45, runs 975, HS 137no, wickets 123, BB 8/29