Newest BLACKCAPS Andrew McKay and Peter Ingram both were surprised to get a call up to the national side but they are ready to face the challenges ahead during Bangladesh’s tour of the country which starts next week.
Andrew McKay, the left arm pace bowler from the Wellington Firebirds , and Peter Ingram, the opening batsman from the Central Stags have performed effectively during the early rounds of the domestic one day competition and the HRV Cup which wraps up this week.
Both players found out on Saturday that they were part of the BLACKCAPS and McKay said he is over the moon about his selection. “I’m really excited. It felt really good to be selected,” he said. “They have given me the opportunity to step up to the next level.”
Ingram said it was great to be told by Mark Greatbatch, BLACKCAP selector and former Sags player. “We had a good chat then after I got off the phone I told my wife and it all got a bit emotional,” he said. “We got the boys together and celebrated. It was really nice.”
The two newcomers aren’t “spring chickens” either, with McKay 29 and Ingram 31, however the duo are no strangers to First Class cricket, with McKay playing six seasons with the Aces before moving to Wellington, while Ingram has been part of the Central Stags since 2001.
McKay moved to Wellington this season for a change of scenery and to help improve his cricket. “My partner and I decided to move here to see if I could take my cricket to that next level, and it has worked,” he said. “I’m looking forward to stepping over that rope for the first time and bowling my first ball in international cricket.”
Ingram on the other hand is looking forward to playing along side his fellow Stags team mates Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram. “The boys have been really supportive and said it was awesome,” he said. “It’s a reward for the hard work I’ve done.”
Both are looking forward to the big crowds and the challenges the opposition bring, but they are hopeful of delivering the goods for the BLACKCAPS. “I just want to say thank you to everyone for all the support over the years,” Ingram said, while McKay concluded with “Make sure you come along and support us this summer.”
Fact File
- Peter Ingram was born in Hawera, Taranaki
- Peter Ingram has played 42 domestic one day games and 21 Twenty20 games, top scoring with 135 and 77*
- During the HRV Cup Peter Ingram has scored 236 runs from 7 games, including three half centuries
- Peter Ingram was part of the record breaking partnership of 428 with Jamie How against Wellington during the Plunket Shield. Ingram made 245*
- Andrew McKay describes himself as “Motivated, dedicated and positive.”
- Andrew McKay has played 14 domestic one day games and 9 domestic twenty20 games.
- McKay’s best figures of the domestic one day game has been 4-41 while in the HRV Cup he took 4-38.
