Labour Day. How fitting for an opening batsman that it should be on that day of all days — given how much graft and work and sweat and toil is routinely attributed to his occupation — that a major milestone was finally accomplished.
For more than 100 years, every great batsman in New Zealand history has played for the Plunket Shield — millions of runs have been scored. But, until now, no man had cracked 10,000 runs on his own.
Michael Papps batting for Wellington against Auckland in 2015. Image: Photosport
Michael Papps headed into round one of 2016/17 against the Auckland Aces needing just 27 to become that first man to 10,000 career runs in the Plunket Shield — and if you think that sounds a cinch for a 37-year-old dab hand, well, it didn’t start on track when he was out for two in the first innings.
But, late on day three at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval as he started on the 51st half-century of his first-class career, he nailed it. Plunket Shield’s first 10K man. And while he was at it, helping his Wellington Firebirds team build a winning total, as he has done so many, many times.
Papps has been collecting 10,000-run milestones for the past two seasons, and we don’t blame you if you find it all a little confusing. Entering trainspotter territory now, let us explain.
In March 2015 (coincidentally, also against the Auckland Aces), the opening veteran found his 10,000th run in first-class cricket overall It arrived during a punishing innings of 171, at Colin Maiden Park, his 27th first-class century.
Papps, who has also played eight Tests and six One-Day Internationals for the BLACKCAPS, became at that moment the 24th New Zealander to achieve the feat, and it includes all first-class games — for example, those when he was a young prospect representing New Zealand A on tour in England. Last season, his old Canterbury colleague Peter Fulton also raised his 10,000th first-class run, becoming the 25th New Zealand player to do so.
Papps and his fellow 10k man Peter Fulton. Image: Photosport
That was in the last Plunket Shield match of the 2015/16 summer, and that was also when Papps chalked his second 10K milestone and first 10K ‘first’ — becoming the first man to score 10,000 first-class runs for New Zealand domestic teams. That is to say, 10,000 runs in total over his career for first Canterbury and then Wellington, which included cricket outside the Plunket Shield. Papps had scored seven and 30 not out for Canterbury against a touring England at Hagley Oval in 2002.
Of course, had he kept going in that last Plunket Shield match of last summer, he might have got two records out of the way in one hit. Instead, his Firebirds team-mates have enjoyed channelling their inner trainspotter and toasting their 10K man yet again in the first round this summer — once he had added the final 27 runs needed for 10K scored in the great Plunket Shield alone.
To be fair, it’s been hard to keep up with the tally. Papps began his first-class career as a scrawny but assiduous teenager called into the Canterbury team way back in March 1999, so long ago that even Cricinfo can’t remember it. Jim Bolger was Prime Minister. His four-ball duck in his first innings, against Otago, by his own estimation is now a distant memory. It was hardly a portent of the many successes to come.
Michael Papps celebrating a hundred in Canterbury days. Image:Photosport
The New Zealand Cricket Almanack’s Player of the Year in 2007, the hugely admired 37-year-old is now underway in his 22nd first-class season. Nowadays Wellington Firebirds captain, he has 28 first-class centuries to go with his 51 half-centuries — a strong conversion rate, and at a respectable average of 37.58. As for scoring runs, his method is simple. He knows his game and just gets on with it. Match after match after match.
Michael Papps’ first-class career, season by season
