CRICKET: Mason's relieved to be shining ball again

IF you feel like you've read this before - too bad. It's a small inconvenience compared with what Michael Mason has endured over the last 12 months.
One match in the Tri-Series against Australia and England was followed by a handful at the interminable World Cup and now just two on the recent New Zealand tours to South Africa and Australia.
Yes, it's great to be picked to tour with your country's cricketing team. But when you're 33, desperate to play and a self-confessed poor watcher, sitting on the sidelines can get very old very quickly.
Now, with the Black Caps home and not carrying such a large squad the big fast bowler has been released to play for Central Districts in the State Shield one-day competition. Mason has been named in the 13-man Stags squad to play Wellington at the Basin Reserve on Sunday and, needless to say, is pretty stoked about it.
"I can't wait. Honestly, you can't believe how excited I am about playing," Mason panted down the phone between repetitions at the gym.
"I'm going to be so happy to be playing and I'll be charging in doing all I can to help the boys. I just can't wait to see them, actually, because they're a great bunch of guys and we all get on really well.
"It's been frustrating not getting the game time but it's one of those things that's out of your control. Once you're over there, it's up to the [tour] selection committee and you've just got to get on with it.
"It is frustrating and there's definitely times when you're away for nine weeks and not playing, that you get a bit fed up. I wasn't a very happy camper when Bondy [Shane Bond] went home and I still missed out but what can you do? "I just tried to stay flat out and do all the training I could. In fact I've done so much training that I came home the fittest in the team."
Mason at least got a chance to work through some of the ring rust on Sunday, when he bowled an impressive spell in the New Zealand XI's loss to Bangladesh in the charity Twenty20 match in Hamilton.
"I made a couple of little errors but otherwise I thought it was really good, considering I haven't played for a while," he said.
"It's going to be good coming back to one-day cricket with the Stags, because four-day cricket is a massive load. It'll be much easier to rip in bowling just 10 overs a day." Naturally, Stags coach Graham Barlow is elated at Mason's return and has high hopes for his new-ball partnership with Jamaican Evan McInnis. With them up front, Barlow said Brent Hefford and Ewen Thompson could return to their natural role as support bowlers.
On the strength of his 71 on debut in the State Championship, 17-year old George Worker will open the batting with Geoff Barnett.
* Central Districts: George Worker, Geoff Barnett, Peter Ingram, Tim Weston, Greg Hay, Bevan Griggs (c), Evan McInnis, Robbie Schaw, Ewen Thompson, Brendon Diamanti, Michael Mason, Brent Hefford, Tim Lythe. Two to be omitted.