Cricket: Rob Nicol has time on his side

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Rob Nicol does not have an identity crisis, but does admit there has been some confusion with the higher profile Rob Nichol who steered the Players' Association through their much-publicised troubled times.

Nicol, the batsman, is no young man in a hurry, even if his batting stats might suggest otherwise.

Many see Nicol, 19, who began his second State Championship season with an unbeaten 147 and steered Auckland to first-innings points over Northern Districts in Gisborne, as being shy.

Many say he would rather let his broad bat do the talking.

He is, for sure, quietly-spoken, but is by no means lost for words, as he showed in his acceptance speech when voted Auckland's 2002 young sportsman of the year.

That quiet determination was evident when he spoke of his innings at Gisborne's Harry Barker Reserve.

"I try not to think about numbers [such as 50s and 100s]," Nicol said. "In the game against Northern we had to think about the runs we needed, given the amount of time that had been lost. Normally, I try to focus my batting more on time.

"If you bat for long enough, the runs will come."

And they did. He was unbeaten on 50 on Sunday night when he and Tim McIntosh had steadied the Auckland innings after they were 59 for three in pursuit of the 359 needed for first-innings points.

That half-century had tested Nicol's patience. He worked steadfastly for 189 minutes to get there. And his second 50 was only 10 minutes quicker.

Surprisingly, Nicol hit only two boundaries and one six in posting his third first-class century.

"Patience was the key. The outfield was not that quick," said Nicol, who admitted he was not accustomed to so much running.

He did, however, speed things up after sailing past his previous best of 109 not out, scored against Otago last season. In that innings he hit 16 boundaries.

Ironically, Craig Pryor was the best of the Otago bowlers at Auckland's Colin Maiden Park that day, taking five for 67.

In Gisborne, Pryor, back with Auckland, joined Nicol in a 120-run unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 120 which earned Auckland the two points.

"Craig was great to bat with," Nicol said. "He kept telling me to do the basics and concentrate on the little targets we set ourselves."

Nicol is never short of support in the star-studded Auckland team. He has three internationals (Mark Richardson, Matt Horne and Lou Vincent) higher up the order, up-and-comer Tim McIntosh at No 4, and Kyle Mills, Tama Canning, Pryor, captain Brooke Walker and Reece Young or Andre Adams to follow.

"They are all very good to bat with," Nicol said. "They are happy to help sort things out.

"A bonus is having Mark, Tim and Craig batting around me because the left-right combinations can make it difficult for the bowlers," said right-handed Nicol.

While not recognised for his talents with the ball, Nicol is keen to have some more bowling this season. He snared seven wickets from his 82.3 overs of off-spin last season, but agrees it is his batting which is more likely to take him to the top.

Test cricket? "Of course," he said with no hint of expectation. "Hopefully, I can continue to progress towards that. There are still heaps of things to work on."

What? "I get hit a lot from short-pitched balls, which some see as a weakness. But I don't think of it like that.

"Sure, I get a few bruises but that is part of it [top-class cricket]."

Nicol, who first turned up at Cornwall Park as a five-year-old and has made it his second home since, is not likely to be fast-tracked to stardom if the Auckland management has anything to do with it.

Auckland chief executive Lindsay Crocker echoed new coach Mark ODonnell's words by saying there will be no pressure on Nicol.

After batting at No 6 for Auckland last summer, Nicol has been promoted just one place this season.

"There is no thought at this stage of pushing any higher," O'Donnell said. "We want to give him time."

The Young Player to Lord's last year, and a member of the national team at the under-19 World Cup earlier this year, has already shown he has something special.

His average of 57.81 (from 14 innings) underlines that.

JUST THE FACTS

Name: Robert James Nicol.

Born: Auckland, May 28, 1983.

Educated: King's College.

Right-hand batsman, right-arm offspin bowler.

First-class debut: Auckland v Central Districts, 2001-02.

First-class games: 11.

First-class figures: 14 innings, highest score 147no v ND this week, 636 runs, av 57.81.

International honours: New Zealand under-19, World Cup, January-February, 2002.