Cricket: American shows the Black Caps how to play ball

Mike Young

It's enough to make the traditionalists call for preservation orders: first an international cricket match being won 3-0, and now this - an American on the New Zealand coaching staff.

Not only that, but professional fielding tutor Mike Young has been living in Brisbane for the past 25 years, and has most recently been working for arch-rivals Australia, gaining praise for his efforts during the VB Series.

Young has been brought in to work with New Zealand over the next three weeks, and has flatly rejected any suggestions of a conflict of interest, despite not ruling out a return to the Australian national team.

The practice of shifting back and forth between international dressing rooms is rare enough for management personnel, but particularly as teams start becoming increasingly guarded during the lead-up to the World Cup.

"I work for the New Zealand cricket team now, so my job is to make them the best and if they beat Australia, then that's Australia's problem," Young said yesterday.

"I'm not contracted, I'm a consultant, and I need change too - it's good for me.

"I just want to spend three weeks with this organisation and enjoy myself. I wish the Australians well in South Africa, but right now I'm a Black Cap."

A former baseball player, coach and manager, Young said he wouldn't be re-inventing the wheel for the New Zealand fieldsmen, whom he regarded as "exceptional athletes", but would instead be reinforcing some fundamental parts of the trade.

First and foremost in the list of priorities was the players' attitude, he said.

"It's all about wanting to field, wanting to go out there and do a job, and when you're dealing with these guys it's an enjoyable task.

"But to be a good fielder you've got to want to field, and it's not an easy thing to do in cricket; you're out there a long time."

Young believed the advantage he would bring to the New Zealand team was a fresh face. The fact that he'd never played cricket was an advantage he said, in that he usually provided a different perspective for the players.

"Often it's just a different voice," he said. "John [Bracewell] is an outstanding coach and the reality is that I'm delivering the same message that he delivers, but the fact it's coming from a different person sometimes helps."

As for his thoughts on the comparative skills required in baseball and cricket fielding, it was a clear-cut issue.

"This [cricket], to me, is more difficult [than baseball], because you're out there for a long period of time and it's difficult to maintain your awareness levels," he said.

"A slip-fielder might have to stand out there for ages without any action, and then have to make a one-handed catch without a glove. If that's not hard to do then I'm not standing here."