Turning 76 on Sunday, Cushen’s also one of the 18-man squad’s most experienced players.
An aggressive pace bowler, he took 194 first-class wickets for Otago and Auckland between 1968 and ’87, and was probably unlucky not to make the Black Caps.
More recently he captained NZ’s over-60s side and played for NZ in the inaugural over-70s CWC in England in 2024, the team finishing fourth.
He got a new hip a year ago, then, playing for the NZ over-70s A team in a final in Australia in August, tore his meniscus.
That took him out for all but the last game of the national over-70s tournament in Timaru late last year, which his Otago side won for the first time — he was one of five Otago players then selected for the Grey Caps.
Cushen says he’s ‘‘pretty pleased’’ with his form after playing three games in 10 days.
However, he notes four new bowlers aged 69 or 70 have been selected — ‘‘I said in the team meeting, ‘if I don’t bowl a ball, that’s great’’’, though he’d be happy to help them out.
As to why he’s still playing, he says ‘‘it’s a good reason to get out of bed and keep fit, isn’t it?’’
‘‘Of course, it is great camaraderie and all that stuff, and if you’ve still got a competitive streak there’s a platform where you can perform, so I’m very fortunate.’’
Admittedly, he has to endure being ribbed, such as suggestions his run-up’s faster than his bowling pace.
He told Mountain Scene in 2024: ‘‘Guys take their helmets off when I bowl and put them on when the spin bowler comes on.’’
He says the current side’s even having a three-day boot camp at Lincoln, near Christchurch — ‘‘one of the selectors is an ex-school teacher’’.
The Grey Caps start with a game next Wednesday against a rest-of-the-world side, then, between February 20 and March 2, they play 45-over games against Sri Lanka, Australia, USA, India, England and Canada, with the final on March 5.
Cushen suggests Australia and England will be the teams to beat as they’ve been warming up with an ‘Ashes’ series across the ditch.
