That might be taking a few liberties with Bob Dylan's song The Mighty Quinn, but news England fast bowler Steven Finn is joining Otago for a four-game stint was received well in the province yesterday.
The 22-year-old has made quite an impact during a brief international career. A towering 2.00m tall right-armer, he has used a combination of express pace and awkward steepling bounce to pick up 50 wickets in 12 tests at a very respectable average of 26.92.
Finn, who can bowl up to 150kmh, has also played eight one-dayers and one twenty/20 international for England and will join Otago once England wraps up its tour of India.
"I felt it was crucial to get some four-day cricket under my belt prior to hopefully getting selected for England's series against Pakistan in UAE in January," Finn said in a press release.
"When the opportunity to play in New Zealand came up, I jumped at the chance to join the Volts. I look forward to arriving in Dunedin and linking up with Vaughn Johnson and his squad and I hope to be able to contribute to a successful season."
Finn, who made his county debut for Middlesex as a 16-year-old, is expected to arrive in Dunedin on October 30 and will be available for the opening Plunket Shield match against Canterbury in Rangiora beginning on November 7.
Dunedin-based fans will get a chance to see the Englishman strut his stuff when Otago hosts Northern Districts later that month.
Johnson said to nab a player of Finn's quality for part of the summer was a boost for the team.
"It is very good news," Johnson said.
"It will be nice if he can pass on some of his international knowledge on to some of our young quicks who are coming through and to some of the more established players as well."
The prospect of Finn taking the new ball alongside Neil Wagner is bound to cause excitement in the Otago camp and anxiety in the opposition.
Wagner finished last season in sensational style when he became the first player in the history of first-class cricket to take five wickets in an over.
The South African-born left-armer is eligible for the Black Caps at the end of the summer and will not lack for motivation. And with spots in the England side up for grabs, Finn will be highly motivated as well, so spare a thought for the country's opening batsmen.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said Finn's agent made the approach and the association was only too happy to accommodate the talented bowler.
The former national selector was excited by what Finn would offer on and off the park.
"I think he will give us some real fire-power early in the season when perhaps the pitches are a little more responsive than they are later on. You put him and Wagner together and... it could give us quite a potent attack.
"But apart from that, for our bowlers to rub shoulders with someone with his international experience can only be a good thing.
"The best thing is he is coming with a purpose. He wants to get in the England test team and that means he is going to be on song and giving it plenty."
