Cricket: Cumming calls time on '19 great years'

After "19 great years" Otago stalwart Craig Cumming has just days remaining of what has been a fabulous career.

The 36-year-old former New Zealand opener has decided to retire at the end of the season.

He will pad up for Otago in its Plunket Shield match against Canterbury in Dunedin beginning tomorrow and round out his career against Wellington at the University Oval later this month.

"You get to a stage in life where the pluses and minuses don't even up," said Cumming.

"For me to continue to play cricket, there were a lot more ramifications on my family.

"I made my debut 19 seasons ago for Canterbury and had 12 years for Otago, so it is not a case of retiring too soon.

"They say you know when the time is right and in the last month or so I've had those feelings. I've run through every scenario in my mind and I'm very comfortable with pulling stumps at the end of this year.

"I've had 19 great years."

Cumming will miss a lot of "different things": the pride and passion he has for playing the game and the "challenges of being in tough situations".

"When things are tough that is when you want to succeed as a cricketer. Those are the things I've tried to thrive on."

He will also miss the sense of camaraderie and "just being around a good group of friends".

Cumming works for Allied Press as an advertising manager with the Christchurch Star and is looking forward to spending more time with his sons Jacob, 8, Zac, 6, and wife Penney.

"That is the most exciting thing, to know I won't miss things which my kids are doing and that I'll be there to help and share the responsibility of parenthood with Penney."

Cumming is unlikely to be lost to cricket altogether. He has been working with some of the younger players in the squad and has spoken to Otago about continuing to work with the batsmen in some capacity in the future.

For now, though, the only coaching Cumming wants to do is from the sidelines "watching my kids and enjoying their sport".

Cumming (6381 runs, 21 100s) will leave Otago as its leading run-scorer and century-maker having eclipsed Bert Sutcliffe's record of 6028 runs and 17 centuries.

"From a team point of view winning the one-day trophy up in Auckland and the Twenty20 and heading off to India have been two of the biggest highlights. But from a personal point of view my test debut against Australia ... and later equalling Bert Sutcliffe on 100s felt more special than passing him for some reason.

"They are things which stand out but cricket is one of those games where you have so many ups and downs that every time you score runs is a highlight."

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said Cumming's contribution on and off the field has been immense.

"His on-field record speaks for itself, but he has been equally influential as a captain, mentor and advocate for the game," Dykes said.

"He has a sense for the history and traditions of cricket and has, at all times, been an example of all that is good in the game of cricket. The fact that he has managed to maintain the highest on-field standards while establishing a family, a home and a career, speaks volumes for his mature and balanced approach to life.

"Comparisons are always dangerous, particularly between professional and amateur eras, but it is reasonable to talk of Bert Sutcliffe, Glenn Turner and Craig Cumming in the same breath - both in terms of records and runs scored and definitely in terms of the impact they all had on Otago cricket during their time in the game."

Otago will retire Cumming's one-day shirt number (13) to recognise his wonderful service.

Otago Daily Times