For one Otago Volts player, the inaugural Champions League in India was as far from his roots as it seems possible to go.
From his back country farm all the way to 40,000 screaming fans at an Indian arena, this has been an incredible journey for Volts bowler, Warren McSkimming. The experience in India was so rich that it has focussed his mind on repeating the opportunity with an Otago Volts in the HRV Cup next month.
McSkimming grew up on a back country farm in Otago, went to a school that had only 17 students and was always down on the farm helping out. These days, when he’s not playing cricket, he runs a block in Waipiata with deer, sheep and cattle. You could say it was a bit of a culture shock when he arrived in India for the Champions League, but it’s an experience he will never forget.
“It was definitely the highlight of my cricketing career,” he said. “The anticipation was the coolest thing. It’s the biggest tournament any New Zealand domestic team has been to.”
Not being a fan of curry, McSkimming found the food a challenge; however he was willing to try new things and enjoyed the vibrancy of the country. “When we arrived at the hotels we had a big welcome with a band and flowers and dancers. It was amazing. .”
The grounds were also a favourite part for McSkimming. In their second game against Bangalore 40,000 people packed into the stands and he will never forget the noise the crowd made. “The crowd was very loud when we were bowling and when I came off the ground my ears were ringing. Although they gave us a bit of a hard time, it was in jest and everyone was smiling.
“The best thing for me though was taking a moment and looking around the crowd and spotting my parents waving at me.”
The HRV Cup starts in the New Year and will run for the entire month of January. All the international players will be participating and it is set to be an electric summer of Twenty20 cricket.
