It’s fair to say that Andrew Ellis is a bit of a warrior.
The 29 year-old has had a career plagued by injury, but was selected on Saturday to be a part of the BLACKCAPS ODI team to take on Zimbabwe.
If selected in the starting XI this Friday, Ellis will make a remarkable debut for the national side and one that even he himself began to doubt would ever happen.
“A couple of years ago when I was struggling through the lower back problems this day seemed a wee way away,“ Ellis told reporters.
Ellis concedes that everyone wants to play for the BLACKCAPS, but didn’t use the chance to represent New Zealand as inspiration for his comeback.
“My goal was just to stay on the park and see what came of that and if it was selection for New Zealand then that’s fantastic, but it really was a day at a time stuff.”
It’s a method which has been paying dividends for him in what has so far turned out to be an outstanding season with both the bat and the ball in all domestic competitions.
The Canterbury player will be alongside fellow Wizard Tom Latham. Latham too has been called in as part of the BLACKCAPS squad preparing to take on Zimbabwe in Dunedin.
Latham, who is only 19, has made a fantastic start to his limited overs career for his province and now finds himself getting ready to leap onto the international stage. Ellis believes there are few players more deserving.
“Tom’s a fantastic kid. He works very hard himself and he’s got some stats behind him so far. He’s definitely worth his spot.
“He’s testament to a lot of work that’s been put in by people in Canterbury.”
Ellis himself knows all about hard work and is also set to reap the rewards, but is the old hand still feeling the nerves before he is likely to make his long awaited debut?
“I’m 29 years-old now so life has a bit more perspective for me, but I wouldn’t be human if there weren’t a few nerves floating round.“
