Cricket Horouta v Bollywood Stars High School Old Boys - Thorn Parkes
He’s in form and he’s ready.
Gisborne product and Kirk Cup-winning Poverty Bay men’s cricket captain Thorn Parkes made his first-class debut for the Otago Volts today, against the Auckland Aces.
The four-day Plunket Shield match at the University of Otago Oval, had a 10.30am start.
Parkes, 21, was selected to bat at No.5 by first-year Volts coach Dion Ebrahim.
Parkes and another left-hander — opening bat Jacob Cumming, 18-year-old son of former New Zealand test batsman Craig Cumming — turn out for a team who lost the first game of their campaign to the Wellington Firebirds by six wickets and their last outing in Round 3 to Northern Districts by an innings and 74 runs.
Parkes was in superb batting touch at the recent National Provincial A tournament at Lincoln, with scores of 42 off 64 balls batting at No.1 against the New Zealand development team, 145 not out off 128 against Canterbury A, and 76 off 93 at No.3 against Canterbury A. For his Dunedin club North East Valley, he has rattled up 92 and an unbeaten 87 since Christmas.
Dion Ebrahim, who first coached Parkes in a New Zealand development team at Taupo, rates his work ethic and his integrity.
“Thorn was paired with our captain for this upcoming fixture, Nick Kelly, to do a series of perhaps 12 fitness exercises. Nick was about to pop out of the gym when Thorn chased him up and informed him that they had one more set left to do,” Ebrahim said.
“Nick was hugely impressed that Thorn, as a new squad member, would let the skipper know. As a batsman, he first caught my eye in Taupo with his business at the crease, his proactivity against good spin, even though he mostly just nurdled (worked) the ball around and into gaps, using soft touch.
“What stands out for me with him is that while he listens, he’s also stubborn — as successful players are, in a good way — as it relates to knowing his own game, and he’s tenacious. What I told him after he scored his unbeaten ton against Canterbury A was, ‘I’d be interested to see you reset and produce performances of match-winning calibre back to back’.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the boy play. What he’s done to get here, nothing needs to change. He’s got to trust himself.”
The wicket for today’s game was expected to be lively at the start of play but flatten out over time.
At time of writing, it was the coach’s preference to bowl first.
Parkes, who studies commerce, majoring in accountancy, at Otago University, said: “I’m excited.
“I was already on the phone when Dion rang last Saturday night, so I told Dad I had to go, the coach was calling. I got the news and called Dad straight back. He was rapt and mum was stoked, too.
“I’ve loved being with the Otago boys. They’ve been welcoming, and I’m learning what it’s like to be a professional, to train hard most days for multiple hours, how competitive it gets. It’s been good to be around it and I’ve learned so much.
“My first aim is to be solid in defence, leave well and punish the ball in my area. I’ve had my batting basics down for a while and now I’m big enough to use all of the tool-kit. I’m stronger, which helps my game a bit, and it’s now easier to hit the fast bowlers straight.”
Parkes’s Poverty Bay age-group representative captain, Robbie Tallott, spoke for the debutant’s former teammates here.
“We’re stoked for him because talent gets you only so far — he’s worked hard, he deserves it. We all wanted him to make it. He’s got the temperament and because he’s got the work ethic, he’s developed a technique that can succeed against the best bowlers in the country.”