Xavier (13) was one of the most impressive cricketers at the South Island primary school tournament in Timaru earlier this month, knocking up a century in the first game for Dunedin Metro and getting nearly 200 runs all up.
In that century — he made 105 all up at better than a run a ball — he was wearing the helmet passed down to him by Broom.
Broom is a family friend and with top-level cricketers getting plenty of gear but still having only one pair of legs and hands, Xavier has been handed down plenty of gear from the current New Zealand international.
He has bags, pads, clothes and the helmet from Broom, who is, unfortunately, out of the game at the moment because of a fractured finger.
Xavier, who is also a handy spinner, has just finished year 8 at Kavanagh College and is heading to Otago Boys’ High School this year.
He lives and breathes cricket, first playing when he was 7, and has been playing for both his club, Kaikorai, and his college team this season, making for a full Saturday.
The Dunedin Metro team finished fourth at the tournament in Timaru.
