Craig Otago skipper after putting hand up to fill position

Mark Craig
Mark Craig
Some people are happy to tuck in behind and contribute what they can from the middle of the pack. New Otago captain Mark Craig is not one of them.

The former international spinner took a look at the Otago squad this season and decided he wanted to take the lead.

It was a bold call in some respects. The Volts will be without six experienced first-class players this summer. Strip any team of that many players and you are left with a daunting rebuilding task.

But the 31-year-old was undeterred by the size of the challenge. He had a chat with former Otago and Black Caps coach Mike Hesson, who helped convinced him to put his name forward.

"I actually approached Rob [Walter, Volts coach] around the reasons why I should put myself forward. But more importantly I just wanted him to know that I was interested in doing the role," Craig said.

"It is something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time. With all the changes that we’ve made and the direction that we are going in, I thought I was the man suited for the job."I’m super excited. It is a great honour to captain the Volts and I’m proud as punch."

His first challenge as captain is an enormous one. The Volts open their season against a stacked Northern Districts side in Mount Maunganui today.

The home team includes Black Caps captain Kane Williamson and test gloveman BJ Watling. The attack can call on test duo Trent Boult and Neil Wagner and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. International all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme is now plying his skills for Northern as well.

The one slice of good news for Craig is Black Caps seamer Tim Southee has been ruled out. He is still recovering from a knee injury which means Northern will have to scrape by with six current internationals.

Craig is aware of the obvious differences between the side he will lead out and the talent his opposite,  Daniel Flynn, can all on. But helping his adopted province — a place he calls home now — rebuild was a big part of his motivation for taking on the captaincy.

"I feel like I have respect in the group and can work really well with the younger boys to help build their confidence and grow their games."

Craig’s captaincy experience is restricted to age-group and club cricket but he is confident he has absorbed plenty of useful information during the years.

"I’ve been lucky enough to be part of Black Caps teams and have been able to learn a few things off a very good captain in Brendon [McCullum] and off Craig Cumming in my earlier [Otago] days.

"But all I can do is play to my strengths and give guys confidence to go out and do their roles."

Attack spearhead Jacob Duffy shapes as a valuable sounding board for Craig when he is deciding whether to make a bowling change or introduce something different.

Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson have captained Otago before, so he can look to them for support as well.

"It is not as if I’ll be doing it all by myself. It is an inclusive group and we want everyone to have input and add value to what we are trying to do."

Craig felt he struggled last season after returning from back surgery but he is now  pain-free and as fit as he has ever been.

"Personally I identified this off-season as the biggest one I needed to have in my career in terms of if I want to get back [in the Black Caps]. But I can’t look too far ahead as well. I’ve got a job to do here for Otago first."

 

Otago v Northern Districts
Mount Maunganui, beginning 10.30am

Otago: Hamish Rutherford, Brad Wilson, Josh Tasman-Jones, Shawn Hicks, Josh Finnie, Mitch Renwick, Christi Viljoen, Mark Craig (captain), Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Bacon, Michael Rippon.

Northern Districts: Daniel Flynn (captain), Henry Cooper, Kane Williamson, Dean Brownlie, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, James Baker, Nick Kelly.

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