Cricket: Flipping good luck for Calders

CAN'T LOSE: Geordie Calder practises his coin tossing before walking out to McLean Park tonight with the New Zealand and Bangladesh skippers. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

IF who you know is a yardstick for success, then it's fair to say Geordie Calder is already a made man in the cutthroat world of cricket.

That's because Calder has a few feathers in his cap, having met New Zealand international Doug Bracewell and former captain Daniel Vettori at a birthday party in March last year and at the coming of age of a friend, George Nilsson, in March 2015, respectively.

"Doug's good mates with a cousin of mine [Mark Collier] and he gave me his shirt," says the Hereworth School year 8 pupil this year.

But the 11-year-old from Hastings knows to be a Black Cap means endless hours in the nets and not letting those ducks, lbws and runouts bring him down too much.

No doubt, Calder would like nothing more than to be a fly on the wall to see what makes the big blokes tick in the changing room.

As luck would have it, and believe me the Calders from Havelock North have had their share in the summer code even though mum Linda dreams of that elusive Lotto flutter, the budding batsman has scored himself a rite of passage at McLean Park, Napier, that countless youngsters would trade their Pokemon cards for.

Calder will walk out to the wicket today, minutes before the 7pm start of the first of three T20 ANZ International Series, with Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson and Bangladesh counterpart Mashrafe Mortaza for the coin toss.

"It's awesome," says Calder, delighted to keep a family tradition alive after brother Finn, 14, of Lindisfarne College, walked out with Brendon McCullum and MS Dhoni in the summer of 2013-14 to perform the same ritual at McLean Park.

In fact, as Calder's father, Rowan, clarifies Finn was initially scheduled to enjoy the privilege in the Black Caps versus West Indies game a fortnight earlier but rained put paid to that.

Adds mum: "Finn went and sat with them [Black Caps] in the changing rooms so it was still interesting meeting Luke Ronchi and the others."

A sporty individual, Geordie Calder excels in cricket, squash and rugby.

The Neil McCortell-coached Hereworth 2nd XI opening batsman is keen to meet Williamson.

"I'm a bit of both," he says when asked if he prefers batting or bowling.

It falls into place that he is partial towards batting when the leftie reveals he has carved up three half tons this summer and 69 runs for his school against Scot's College last summer.

So where does the cricketing trait come from?

As it turns out, every member of the family is pointing towards themselves but let the truth be known that Hawke's Bay Cricket Association stalwart Dale Smidt has been honing the skills of the Hastings age-group representative for the past couple of years.

His South African father and both grandfathers take credit for the backyard initiation, though.

So what will it take for Calder to realsie his dreams of becoming a Black Cap, thanks to his Kiwi mum who submitted his name in the competition?

"Trying very hard and never give up. You have to go through the tough moments," he says.

For the record, Calder can represent the Proteas because of his parentage and Finn can do the same for Namibia because he was born there.

What makes the Calders so lucky?

"It's unbelievable. We're very good cricketers," says Linda with a laugh of a family who are ANZ clients.

The series sponsors are giving 22 young fans the opportunity to take the field as the ANZ Coin Toss Kid.

Fans can enter at anzcricketworld.co.nz.