Canterbury Wizards talent Leighton Burtt is one of the many domestic players who have headed off shore during the New Zealand winter to gain more experience in cricket.
He’s travelled to Scotland and is playing in Glasgow, the country’s largest city. He’s participating in the Scottish Premier League for West of Scotland, based in Partick, just west of the city.
It’s a big change from Christchurch, but Burtt seems to be enjoying playing cricket, meeting new people and expanding his skills. “Glasgow’s weather is somewhat gloomier than Christchurch’s and in fact most part of New Zealand,” he said. “However the people have been very warm and we have had the odd lovely day of sunshine, a welcome sight.”
His team’s home ground is Hamilton Crescent, which was the venue of the world’s first football international (between England and Scotland). It’s a big change from his home ground in New Zealand. “Like all grounds here, regardless of any league, we only have one block, therefore one game at a time,” Burtt said. “A somewhat different sight to Hagley Oval or most New Zealand club cricket grounds.”
The pitches in Scotland are also different to New Zealand. Burtt said they are low and therefore the majority of the teams he’s faced have a number of slow medium-pacers or spin bowlers, with batsmen preferring to play on the front foot. “Batsmen have so far been of better quality than bowlers. Most sides have a good professional and possibly a good Scottish player, so matches are closely fought,” he said. “I’m also getting more involved with the coaching, which I’m enjoying and getting some good results on the park.”
Although this is the first time Burtt has travelled to Scotland to play cricket, there are a few familiar faces nearby to remind him of home. “I’m looking forward to catching up with or playing Michael Papps, Michael Parlane, Kruger Van Wyk, and Tim Weston who have also joined clubs around Scotland, and our first Scottish Cup knock out match was against Hamish Rutherford's side. So even though I'm far from home, it feels somewhat familiar,” he said.
Domestic players are required to return home in September for preseason preparations, so during his time away Burtt is going to make the most of his opportunities. “I'm certainly going to try and get out and about the British Isles and beyond. Being my first excursion to these parts, as an antipodean it would be wasteful to not see the attractions in this part of the world,” he said. “I'm also well aware that I will need to get myself prepared for what will hopefully be a productive season for the Canterbury Wizards, so I'm well on the way to getting the body and mind ready for that. But it is nice to get away to a new environment, and a new experience.”
