Cricket: Barney talks up Big Mo's swing

CATCH A FIRE: Kieran Noema-Barnett's finger-tip catch is a good indicator of what momentum is all about. PHOTOS/John Velvin, ESPNZ

Momentum. Not the term pertaining to mass and velocity in physics but the buzz word sports people use liberally to denote a shift in fortunes on the field or court.

Label it hocus pocus, mumbo jumbo or whatever takes your fancy but players and even fans swear by momentum swings.

For what it's worth, the Central Districts Stags are going to need "Big Mo" to swing heavily in their favour today when they face Wellington Firebirds during the knockout preliminary final at the Basin Reserve.

"It's a massive word they use a lot, you know, momentum and things like that," says Stag Kieran Noema-Barnett when asked what gives CD a sense of feeling that they are in that intangible zone that has yielded four do-or-die victories on the trot.

"Look, it's a really difficult one. If we all knew that everyone would be very experienced," says Noema-Barnett who joined the CD stable midway through the Ford Trophy campaign.

The 29-year-old came back to Hawke's Bay for a holiday from England, where he is playing professionally for Gloucestershire in county cricket, so he decided to play premier club for Big Barrel Napier Technical Old Boys this summer.

A former You Travel Taradale CC allrounder, he couldn't return to his old club because the side already has an overseas player.

CD coach Heinrich Malan didn't hesitate in adding Noema-Barnett to his youthful mix during what was, at the time, a so-so limited-overs campaign.

Noema-Barnett returns to England in a week but, no doubt, if the Stags make the final against the Canterbury Kings, he'll alter his flight schedule.

It's easy to forget a core group of the Stags has helped lift the Ford Trophy two seasons in a row.

"It's important we use our brain and not panic too much because anything can happen in a semifinal style of game," says Noema-Barnett of CD, who are two games away from joining an exclusive club of teams who has claimed three consecutive crowns.

The word "treble" doesn't crop up much but Noema-Barnett emphasises only a fortnight ago they were staring down the barrel of defeat.

"It's funny how it's turned out. Everything's suddenly clicked for us and we've started playing well and we're one game away from the final so it's all happened very quickly and there hasn't been any talk of three in a row to allow any sort of complacency to creep in."

While they have become battle-hardened today will bring a new challenge and CD will be ready on a rain-free day and agreeable winds.

Noema-Barnett confesses he isn't immune to catching the infectious momentum.

"I'm whatever I am on the day. If they want me to bat more I'll bat and if they want me to bowl more then I'll do that," he says with a laugh, after scoring 74 runs at No8 and taking a wicket in CD's 48-run victory over Northern Districts Knights last Saturday in the semifinal in New Plymouth.

Respecting the opposition is vital but equally imperative is the Stags' intent today.

"It's just about who will adapt to it better and who makes use of the conditions the best," says Noema-Barnett. "It's just about being smart, making sure we prepare well so when it comes to the games we adapt to whatever situation is around."

He says the hosts have more experience although they have lost Black Caps wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi returning from injury.

"They have a bit more nous about them in those key situations but I'm pretty confident our guys will be ready for anything tomorrow."

CD have lost big-hitting Tom Bruce from the middle order as well as new-ball, death-over seamer Ben Wheeler to international duties.

Rookie seamer Navin Patel, of Manawatu, and red-ball batting maestro Ben Smith come straight into contention with left-arm orthodox spinner Felix Murray, of Nelson, absorbing the atmosphere of domestic cricket as 12th man.

Noema-Barnett says losing teammates to international duties for both teams is a cause for celebration because that's what the major association outfits are there for.

"They are great players for us, like any internationals are for any domestic side, but we just have to make sure we compensate for that so someone else can step up out there and we'll be ready to go."

Noema-Barnett says one-day competition is a temperamental beast which can lead a team into a really bad patch or let them roll really nicely.

The former CD skipper, who veteran wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk replaced two summers ago, qualifies for county cricket through his English father.

"It's enjoyable here, I think," he says after two years abroad. "There's obviously been a little bit of turnover in players here but there are also guys who are a little bit more mature now and are outstanding for the game and that is reflected in the way the team is performing as well."

Noema-Barnett definitely considers himself an old man now.

"Everyone's getting on well with each other so it's certainly not an issue."

It has taken him a while to come to grips with how things are done in cricket in England.

One striking difference is the higher number of games he plays there compared with the domestic scene in New Zealand.

"You just play a lot more. There's no sort of play-travel-play rule so it's just sort of get on the road," he says, revealing he has been in a situation where the team has clocked up a few stretches where they played 13 out of 15 days.

At the coalface, the biggest difference is in the red-ball format where the Duke balls tend to swing a little bit more.

"Just like anywhere, I guess, you have guys who are really good in their own conditions so it's been a challenge, no doubts about that, but it's been good as well," he says, revealing he was underdone when he arrived here but is back into it after a few games.

On reflection in the past two seasons, like any player, Noema-Barnett feels like he could have taken more wickets or carved up more runs for the collective but he reconciles that with making a career-changing switch.

"I think I'm improving over there so that's the main thing for me [because] I'm not going backwards, which would be a concern."

He has had to relocate his coordinates on the domestic map with the revitalised Stags during the limited-overs campaign.

"When I first came here I was probably a little under done compared with the other guys who were match hardened, playing a lot of cricket and training as well, so it took me a few games to get up to speed but things are going all right."

CD STAGS: George Worker, Jesse Ryder, William Young (c), Joshua Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk), Kieran Noema-Barnett, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Navin Patel, Ben Smith, Blair Tickner, Felix Murray.

Coach: Heinrich Malan.

WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS: Michael Papps, Tom Blundell (wk), Stephen Murdoch, Scott Borthwick, Hamish Marshall (c), Michael Pollard, Luke Woodcock, Matt Taylor, Anurag Verma, Jeetan Patel, Brent Arnel, Iain McPeake, Ollie Newton.

Coach: Bruce Edgar.