North Otago and Black Caps cricketer Nathan Smith took a weekend off from his preseason training with the Wellington Firebirds to visit Oamaru and got to see first hand a building sharing his name.
Waitaki Boys’ High School opened the Nathan Smith Performance Centre in May and Smith’s parents, Greg and Nicci, cut the ribbon.
The 27-year-old loved getting to see the "epic space" for the first time.
"I think they’ve done a really good job.
"It looks really good and hopefully the boys are enjoying it.
"It’s pretty cool to come back, drive in and you see your name just on the [building]."
He takes great pride in representing Oamaru and North Otago on the world stage.
"It’s a massive part of my journey and I wouldn’t be where I am today with those people who helped me in Oamaru and in North Otago."
Last summer was a memorable one for Smith.
He made his ODI and test match debut for New Zealand and played 12 international matches including the Champions Trophy final against India.
"It was pretty whirlwind.
"It’s been a cool 12 months and hopefully this year I can keep pushing my case for ODI cricket and make that position mine, that No8 spot."
The Champions Trophy, which was played entirely in Pakistan except for matches that involved India, was a real highlight, he said.
"It’s sort of a forgotten ICC event, in a way. Everyone sort of just thinks about the 50-over World Cups and T20 World Cups but it was pretty cool.
"Pakistan is a tough place to tour. You’re not really allowed out of the hotel so there was a lot of hotel time.
"It’s a shame for Matt Henry to go down injured but to get an opportunity to play in an ICC final was pretty bloody cool."
Since joining the Black Caps team, Smith has been used mainly as a third or fourth-option seamer.
While it has been an adjustment from his role with the Firebirds in which he is often the strike weapon, Smith is working hard to adapt easily.
"It’s just a different role. You’re still trying to do essentially the same thing.
"I haven’t really bowled a lot with the older ball in white-ball cricket, so I think for me it’s about how I can be a little bit more consistent and still look to take wickets through the middle overs in ODI cricket.
"We’re trying to sort of marry those roles up a bit at the moment with Wellington to get me a little bit more first-change bowling and I’m still trying to develop the batting as well so bat as high as I can."
However, he is striving to be a No1 option.
"I want to be a strike bowler for New Zealand.
"I think my red-ball cricket, it’s nearly there in terms of how I want to play and what’s coming out of my hand."
Throughout the hectic schedule of an international cricketer, Smith has learned to enjoy the free time he does get and tries to spend as much time with his family as he can.
"They came up to Wellington at the end of the season so that was cool just to chill and think about the season that was.
"It’s obviously what you dream about doing as a kid. It’s just making sure you don’t lose sight of that and you still play for the right reasons and play for the love.
"I definitely have a lot more to give so hopefully I can have a few match-winning performances this year — really put myself in there and make me hard to drop.
"That’s the plan, anyway."
