CRICKET: Fit and keen? He Schaw is!

HAMISH BIDWELL
"There's some amazing statistics to come out of it," reckoned Central Districts cricket coach Graham Barlow of his team's fitness testing.
Oh yeah. Go on, amaze us then. We're ready.
"Well, you've got Robbie Schaw (pictured right) for starters. Second quickest in the whole squad and he did his tests at seven o'clock in the morning. Only Jamie How was quicker," Barlow said.
All right, what else?
"Number one in the beep test, with 13.3 on his first-up effort. Brent Hefford. He's getting up and training at five o'clock every morning and, at 93kg, he's the lightest he's ever been. The two of them just show what a bit of commitment can do.
"I have to say of Robbie, that he has as good a work ethic as anyone I've ever encountered. We've just starting working on his batting and he's still doing his (bowling) drills four nights a week.
"Weight-wise, he's looking very fit and, even though we've only had three sessions, his batting is coming along nicely."
But it's with his leg-spinners that Schaw will earn his corn this summer. Barlow's says he's still not bowling off a proper run-up yet, but that should come next month when the Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay star goes back to Adelaide to work with Terry Jenner.
Among the other players in and around the squad, just Chris Cruikshank, with a broken hand, is battling fitness-wise, even if Michael Mason hasn't been entirely at full steam.
"He's just started bowling again and he's actually working with Dayle Hadlee (New Zealand Cricket's bowling coach) in Palmerston North today (Thursday). He and Jake (Oram)," Barlow said.
"He's actually just come off a dreadful virus. It was a real nasty thing and he spent about 10 days laid up. It was pretty bad and he was hallucinating and suffering terrible fevers. I saw him about 10 days ago and he looked like a ghost.
"It wasn't a pretty sight. He's not a porky at the best of times, but he lost a lot of weight and was as white as a sheet.
"I saw him again a couple of days ago and he had a bit of colour back in his cheeks and looked much better."
Barlow said there have been no such concerns for How, just back from the New Zealand A tour to Australia, or his Manawatu teammate Ross Taylor.
Of the previously injured brigade, Brendon Diamanti (back) is set to return to bowling, under Hadlee and Barlow's watch, next week, while Ewen Thompson (stomach problem) is due back from Ireland soon.
The only person who's fitness is not what it could be is the Ramblers cycling club member himself.
"I'm working with Robbie here tonight (Thursday), then I'm in Palmy tomorrow and then Wellington. It's Blenheim all next week, then back to Wellington, Palmy and New Plymouth. Just when I'm starting to get back into a bit of nick on the bike, too," Barlow said.