It's hard to say
It's time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
Nathan Astle. My second favourite NZ player ever. After work on the day I heard he was retiring I went home and put my "Nathan Astle Master Blaster" dvd in the machine and just watched it. That 222 of his was one of the most amazing moments in cricket I have ever witnessed. Unfortunately I didn't witness it in person, just on tv but I was still blown away. I couldn't tear myself away from the television. The fact that it came only days after Adam Gilchrist posted the fastest test double century ever wasn't bad either. I always like to topple the Aussies!
Nathan will be very missed by me and by virtually every other NZ cricket fan. It's been said many times by many people with far more expertise than me that he is quite probably our best ever ODI batsman. 16 ODI centuries puts him WAY above any other NZ'er in terms of stats. The thing he lacked that keeps players like Glenn Turner and Martin Crowe ahead of him in most people's minds is his lack of consistency. I watch every game I possibly can and I still feel that I only saw Nath at his best a few times. No matter how bad his form was though I was always sure big things were going to happen every time I watched him come out to bat. Had he been consistent I imagine he had the chance to be the best batsman the worlds ever seen.
He began his career for Canterbury as a bowler who could bat a bit. Batted at 10 in his first few games actually. But he went on to be a batsman who will go down in New Zealand, and world, cricket history.
My first memory of Nathan Astle is during the 1996 home cricket season. England were touring and it looked like we were going to crash to defeat in the first test, sad when our first innings had included Stephen Fleming's debut (I think) test century. Nath stayed in the middle as wickets tumbled all around him. He finally found a partner to stay with him in the most unlikely of candidates, Danny Morrison. While poor Danny was feeding him the strike at every opportunity and really just battling to stay out there, Nathan Astle calmly stroked his way to 102*. The test ended in a draw and my heart had been captured by Nathan Astle, this unassuming player I had never noticed before. (When I say heart I mean cricket heart, not actual heart - that was reserved for Stephen Fleming ;-) )
I've watched or listened to or read about a lot of other centuries from Nathan Astle since then. The moment that sticks out most for me, as I've already mentioned, was his 222. We didn't win the game that day but I don't think many Kiwi's remember the final result or even care.
Fond personal memories of Nathan Astle include the day I went to get his book signed. I was early and got to have a brief chat to him. Nothing exciting but I still remember how friendly he was.
The other was back when I was 16. I was in Napier with some friends doing a cricket tour. We'd already watched games in Wellington and Taupo and were just working our way up the country with the team. Wandering through a park the day before the game we happened upon the Black Caps practising. (It wasn't planned I swear!) We sat to watch a while and Matt Horne recognised us. He came over and gave us his cellphone number and the number of their hotel, telling us to give him a call tonight and we could join them for dinner. Nathan Astle had been standing near us and hurried to assure the four of us once Horne walked away that Matt Horne was just being friendly, not sleazy. He told us that the team knew we had been following them on the tour and that they were grateful for our support. He also commented that it was nice to have young, female fans who didn't go all silly and crazy. (ha little did he know how we were all feeling on the inside!)
I'm sad to see Nathan go, I've never felt this sad about a cricketer's retirement. I do admire him for making the decision now though. He said in his press release that he hasn't been feeling it for a while but had kept playing because he desperately wanted to play in one more world cup. He just realised that he didn't want to go into the world cup still not feeling it and let his mates down by failing there as well. That is an amazing attitude. To know your time has passed but that you will continue to be selected so, instead, walking away for the good of the team. That's totally the Nathan Astle I've always seen and admired.
We'll miss you Nath. Well played.
Nath's 222
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Goodbye, goodbye
Nathan Astle. My second favourite NZ player ever. After work on the day I heard he was retiring I went home and put my "Nathan Astle Master Blaster" dvd in the machine and just watched it. That 222 of his was one of the most amazing moments in cricket I have ever witnessed. Unfortunately I didn't witness it in person, just on tv but I was still blown away. I couldn't tear myself away from the television. The fact that it came only days after Adam Gilchrist posted the fastest test double century ever wasn't bad either. I always like to topple the Aussies!
Nathan will be very missed by me and by virtually every other NZ cricket fan. It's been said many times by many people with far more expertise than me that he is quite probably our best ever ODI batsman. 16 ODI centuries puts him WAY above any other NZ'er in terms of stats. The thing he lacked that keeps players like Glenn Turner and Martin Crowe ahead of him in most people's minds is his lack of consistency. I watch every game I possibly can and I still feel that I only saw Nath at his best a few times. No matter how bad his form was though I was always sure big things were going to happen every time I watched him come out to bat. Had he been consistent I imagine he had the chance to be the best batsman the worlds ever seen.
He began his career for Canterbury as a bowler who could bat a bit. Batted at 10 in his first few games actually. But he went on to be a batsman who will go down in New Zealand, and world, cricket history.
My first memory of Nathan Astle is during the 1996 home cricket season. England were touring and it looked like we were going to crash to defeat in the first test, sad when our first innings had included Stephen Fleming's debut (I think) test century. Nath stayed in the middle as wickets tumbled all around him. He finally found a partner to stay with him in the most unlikely of candidates, Danny Morrison. While poor Danny was feeding him the strike at every opportunity and really just battling to stay out there, Nathan Astle calmly stroked his way to 102*. The test ended in a draw and my heart had been captured by Nathan Astle, this unassuming player I had never noticed before. (When I say heart I mean cricket heart, not actual heart - that was reserved for Stephen Fleming ;-) )
I've watched or listened to or read about a lot of other centuries from Nathan Astle since then. The moment that sticks out most for me, as I've already mentioned, was his 222. We didn't win the game that day but I don't think many Kiwi's remember the final result or even care.
Fond personal memories of Nathan Astle include the day I went to get his book signed. I was early and got to have a brief chat to him. Nothing exciting but I still remember how friendly he was.
The other was back when I was 16. I was in Napier with some friends doing a cricket tour. We'd already watched games in Wellington and Taupo and were just working our way up the country with the team. Wandering through a park the day before the game we happened upon the Black Caps practising. (It wasn't planned I swear!) We sat to watch a while and Matt Horne recognised us. He came over and gave us his cellphone number and the number of their hotel, telling us to give him a call tonight and we could join them for dinner. Nathan Astle had been standing near us and hurried to assure the four of us once Horne walked away that Matt Horne was just being friendly, not sleazy. He told us that the team knew we had been following them on the tour and that they were grateful for our support. He also commented that it was nice to have young, female fans who didn't go all silly and crazy. (ha little did he know how we were all feeling on the inside!)
I'm sad to see Nathan go, I've never felt this sad about a cricketer's retirement. I do admire him for making the decision now though. He said in his press release that he hasn't been feeling it for a while but had kept playing because he desperately wanted to play in one more world cup. He just realised that he didn't want to go into the world cup still not feeling it and let his mates down by failing there as well. That is an amazing attitude. To know your time has passed but that you will continue to be selected so, instead, walking away for the good of the team. That's totally the Nathan Astle I've always seen and admired.
We'll miss you Nath. Well played.
Nath's 222
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