players to watch
It is quite appropriate that LUKE RONCHI is playing in the 2015 because the New Zealand-born player raised in Australia became a cricketing rarity by representing both countries. His first international incarnation came for Australia in the West Indies in 2008 when he deputised for the injured Brad Haddin in four ODIs and a Twenty20. H bludgeoned a 22-ball half-century but his form fell away during the following domestic summer and he added only one more T20 international to his tally for Australia.
But his international career got a new lease of life when moved across the Tasman Sea and qualified to play for the Black Caps in 2013 while becoming the first player since Kepler Wessels in almost 20 years to represent two full ICC member nations.
Born in the English seaside town of Brighton,
MATT MACHAN, who has a Scottish mother, took advantage of a change in eligibility rules to qualify to play for Scotland in 2012. He became an instant success with a century against Kenya in only his fourth ODI.
Machan has played an important part in Scotland’s run of seven consecutive wins in the World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand last year that secured their ticket to the 2015 World Cup.
A product of Brighton College, Machan has played Sussex age-group cricket since U-13s. He played his first second XI game for Sussex aged 15 in 2006 but the left-hander had to wait five years for his Championship debut. He is also a qualified personal trainer and a fan of greyhound racing.
Published in Dawn February 17th , 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play