Matt?s heart still in cricket

There was a time during the past winter when Matthew Hart wondered whether he would play cricket for Northern Districts this summer.
The allrounder, 32, had come off a forgettable domestic season when Northern Districts finished bottom in both the State Shield and State Championship competitions.
Many would have closed an accomplished career and sidled off to find lost summers on the beach, but Hart is not one to finish anything unless it's on his terms.
"The way we played last year and how my form was, I thought about it, absolutely, but I also didn't want to finish on a kick in the guts ? it's not how I wanted to go out," Hart said.
Hart's declaration surprises no one who knows him. His gritty, tenacious nature has helped him remain an integral part of the Northern Districts side for 91 first-class matches.
His longevity in the game makes him a valuable lieutenant to James Marshall, who captained the side in the absence of New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori this season.
Hart has been a sounding board for the young leader, with the pair sharing many ideas, and as a player Marshall believes Hart makes a telling contribution.
"He (Hart) is very much a competitor. He always talks about fighting. He always says c'mon keep fighting' ... another he uses is 'show a lot of mongrel out there' and those are the things he stands for when he bats," Marshall said.
"If you play enough cricket with him you can see it in his game.
"He's fantastic for us, you know, he gives his all for the side," Marshall said.
That competitive nature is something Hart thinks he was born with, and the trait is obvious whether he's in the middle batting or playing cards with wife Sheree at their Papamoa home.
Hart approached this season extra keen to do well following a two-month off- season build up with his Northern Districts teammates.
"I think with the pre-season preparation we get these days I've probably never been fitter ... it's changed in the time I've been playing.
"This year we've had a full two months' lead-in which has been hard work but you know you can benefit from it."
Hart's form with the bat this season has been sublime, with a matchwinning century against Central Districts in the four-day competition, and a sparkling 67 in the State Shield win over Wellington.
The pre-season physical conditioning has certainly helped but Hart believes his mental approach is also better than in the past.
"I guess I feel more relaxed about my cricket now. There are times when you're working so damn hard, you've got aspirations, and maybe you work against yourself and maybe it doesn't help your game."
Hart knows the feeling from first-hand experience.
He was promoted to the New Zealand side in the mid-1990s and played 14 tests and 13 one- dayers, including the World Cup in 1999. His final tour was in 2002 to the West Indies.
"For my first 10 tests I felt I was part of the furniture and I was up to it. I performed bloody well but I went downhill with the bowling side of it," he said.
Hart believes he probably did not work hard enough on his game back then, after finding it "naturally" easy on his rise to the top.
When he lost form and confidence, he did not know how to respond.
Suffering highs and lows since has helped him adopt a more relaxed attitude to the game.
Hart is not considering this season as a swansong. He admits he's not planning on playing for five more years but adopts a season-by-season approach.
This season is the first since 1993 that he has not shared the Northern Districts changing room with his younger brother Robbie, the retired former New Zealand wicketkeeper, and Hart admits it took a little time to adjust.
"It took a while to sink in. It was a bit of a hollow feeling when he wasn't in the dressing room at the start but we've moved on ? I'm over it now."
Hart believes he still has something to offer at the highest level, although it isn't with his left-arm orthodox spinners.
His bowling brought him a five-wicket matchwinning haul against South Africa at test level and a best one-day return of five for 22, but he has concentrated on his batting in the past few years.
He was always regarded as a bowling allrounder but knows he's an effective and experienced runmaker at provincial level.
Like most left-handed batsmen, he appears unhurried at the crease, boasts a lovely cover drive and a range of crisp strokes.
Hart feels he could contribute to the national side as a batsman, but he does not waste time dreaming about it anymore.
"I guess there's always hope. I don't lie awake at night thinking about it. If it comes, it comes, if it doesn't ? it doesn't."-NZPA