GOING PLACES: Ben Wheeler packs his gear before leaving with CD for New Plymouth on Thursday. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
HE'S seen traditionally as an out-and-out bowler, but it pays to know Ben Wheeler was an allrounder from his school days.
"I used to bat in the top order, but when I started with the Stags I was only 18 so I probably started around No9 and didn't contribute as much as I should have," says Wheeler before the Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags host the Canterbury Kings in the grand final of the one-day Ford Trophy grand final from 11am today at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth.
With Doug Bracewell out and coach Heinrich Malan was looking for a 2-in-1 player within his 12-player squad to fill the vacuum the Black Cap allrounder left behind at a crucial time with his recall to the one-day international matrix this week.
Black Cap Wheeler may well fill that vacancy as the William Young-skippered CD look to retain their crown, mindful that rain abandoning the televised 50-over game will see top qualifiers Kings walking away with the silverware despite losing to them in the first versus second qualifiers playoff in Christchurch last Saturday.
For the Marlborough cricketer it's just been a matter of adjusting to the consistency of the myriad pace of bowlers that has propelled him as a batsman with potential lately.
"I wouldn't say I know my game inside out but I've got a fair understanding," says the player from Blenheim who's done considerable work over the past few winters with Malan and CD development coach Scott Briasco as he reaps the latent benefits.
"I'm now starting to add some good value with runs as well," says Wheeler, mindful shuffling up to the desired middle-order ranks will require facing a different type of challenge in countering spinners.
"The way we played spinners at the weekend, I think we attacked them and probably got them a bit unsettled so it worked in our favour," he says of the upset two-wicket victory over the Kings where he and Jesse Ryder established an all-time seven-wicket List A record partnership of 166 runs.
"To play spin we have to get on top of them early so there's not a lot of difference because you still have to get your singles and look for your boundaries whether it's spin or pace," says the 24-year-old who carved a career-high 80 off 77 balls.
Ideally, though, a grinning Wheeler appreciates the top-order batsmen such as Black Cap-exposed George Worker, Ben Smith, Ryder or Young will negate the need for blokes like him in the lower echelons to grind it out.
"Jesse's obviously been contributing every game so he's an awesome player. He can't do it every game but I think everyone in the top order's contributed as well at some stage," he says, accepting someone has to provide a platform to build a decent innings today to retain the crown.
If today's game is rained out then he feels Canterbury deserve to win it after beating CD home and way this summer.
"It's a format we've got on quite well with in the past few years so to win a final again would be awesome in front of our home crowd," Wheeler says, keeping his fingers crossed for 50 overs each way.
The glare of TV won't be an issue, thanks to the exposure they have had on the Georgie Pie Super Smash Twenty20 campaign.
"Dougie's massive for us because he bats at [No]6 and bowls so you always know with him what you'll get," he says of Bracewell who is likely to play Pakistan in the final ODI series tomorrow at Eden Park, Auckland. That means Seth Rance, himself and other pacemen to lead in the bowling attack.
Their depth in our lower order means if everyone contributes it'll make a lot of difference.
"Hopefully we can cover Dougie but one person can't cover what he brings to the team," says the No8 batsman who laughs when asked if he can ease into that position.
"I wouldn't say easing in [but it's] somewhere where I'd like get to in the future as I'm always pressing to get up the order," Wheeler says, although he's willing to do what's best in the balance of Malan's shuffle.
He's mindful numerous teammates will put their hands up and he welcomes that healthy competition.
Back problems have plagued Wheeler this summer while he played for the NZ A team in Lincoln before Christmas.
"I ended up having a stress fracture so for the first three months of the season. It was pretty tough to watch, but it's definitely awesome to be back in the mix now."
He had eight weeks of "proper rest" before engaging in "core work" to align and strengthen his posture with bowling action to ensure he was more tense rather than relaxed at the point of deliveries to negate risks of injuries.
It didn't help that he was coming off seven Budget Rental Plunket Shield matches last summer but suspects his Black Caps debut in England last winter and the stint in South Africa may have contributed to it, considering he hadn't played all year round for a while.
"At that level you probably push yourself a little harder and things probably wore down over time so it was a bit of a pain to have happened at that time when I had just got my foot in the door.
"But I just have to go about my business again and, hopefully, push for a spot again at some stage whether it be this summer or next."
It was "awesome" to make his summer but "different" because he was abroad.
"I spent a month with them there so it was awesome to just slide on in so it's definitely something you want to experience again and be a part of."
No doubt making his international debut on home soil will evoke a different type of emotion for him.
"It would be awesome to have some helpful support rather than the opposition supporters giving you some stick on the boundary even though you get a bit from your own country although it's all a bit of fun."
The Black Caps, he feels, definitely get a good lift from the buzz of parochial support at home and something he can't wait to be a part of.
He relished watching the game at The Lords in England last June while helping the New Zealand squad practice during the first two warm-up four-day games.
Hesson knocking on his door early that morning, two days before he was to jet back to New Zealand, to tell him he would "be hanging around a little bit longer" came as a pleasant surprise.
"I was packing my bags on the Friday before we were going to head off on the Saturday and Hess came knocking on the door and I had just hopped out of the shower."
CD Cricket interim CEO Chris Lander says it's an exciting time as defending champions of a predominantly young side who play an exciting brand of cricket to be in today's grand final.
"Under a new captain I think it's a very exciting time for them," says Lander, crossing his fingers for a fine day at Pukekura Park after Thursday's disappointment at McLean Park, Napier, where the ODI was abandoned without a ball bowled as the sun ironically returned yesterday.
Like Bracewell, Canterbury players Matt Henry, Henry Nicholls and Tom Latham are with the Black Caps.
Young says the wicket today is drier than normal while Ryder broke his media silence with an interview with NZ Cricket.
MATCH DETAILS
WHO: CD Stags v Canterbury Kings.
WHAT: Ford Trophy grand final.
WHEN: Today, 11am, live on Sky Sport 1.
WHERE: Pukekura Park, New Plymouth.
CD STAGS (from): William Young (c), Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver (wk), Marty Kain, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Jesse Ryder, Indika Senarathne, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Blair Tickner, Ben Wheeler, George Worker.
Coach: Heinrich Malan.
CANTERBURY KINGS (from): Andrew Ellis (c), Leo Carter, Roneel Hira, Ken McClure, Peter Fulton, Todd Astle, Cameron Fletcher (wk), Cole McConchie, Tim Johnston, Logan van Beek, Kyle Jamieson, Ed Nuttall.
Coach: Gary Stead.