2024 Kiwi County Tour: Michael Rae Joins Warwickshire & Nathan Smith Scores Runs
Michael Rae made his first appearance in County Championship cricket with Warwickshire and of course the headband king took some wickets. Nathan Smith continues to showcase his all-round class for Worcestershire and Tom Bruce found some solid scores with Lancashire.
Blair Tickner battled away for Derbyshire down in Division Two, taking 2w @ 2.8rpo and conceding 7rpo with no wickets in the second effort. Tickner backed up his 18 runs first up with a 21-ball duck which helped soak up time late in the game and seal a draw against Northamptonshire.
Will Williams also featured in Lancashire's first win of the campaign, the only win in the Kiwi County Tour this round and the second win for the five KCT teams this season. Bruce had knocks of 46 and 43 to help Lancashire put up scores of 357 and 353/9 declared. Williams didn't take a wicket in either innings and conceded 4.2rpo, then 5rpo. Despite Williams not taking wickets and diverting away from his usually economical mahi, Lancashire are now graced with a splash of form from Bruce.
Bruce started with six scores under 30 runs, five of which were under 20 runs. In his last four innings he has scores of 73, 15, 46 and 43 which take him to 237 runs @ 23avg/60sr. Williams now has 10w @ 34.5avg/2.7rpo and Lancashire are stuck at the bottom of the ladder in Division One.
Smith also suffered defeated with Worcs going down to Surrey. Smith snared 2w @ 5rpo in the first innings and then had a duck with the bat, followed by his first innings without a wicket in five County Championship games. Despite Worcestershire crumbling to 128 and then 231, which was well short of their target (513 runs), Smith whacked 60 runs @ 105sr in the second innings.
Leading Worcs for wickets with 17w @ 26.58avg/3.2rpo, Smith has also been fantastic with the bat this season. Smith has 212 runs @ 42.4avg/56sr after five games and this was his third 50+ score in six innings. Smith has hit three 50+ scores in a Plunket Shield season just once before (2021/22) and after nine First-Class summers in Aotearoa, this is his first FC campaign averaging 40+ as a batter.
Smith is ranked 11th for wickets in Division One and sits in a funky crew of bowlers in the rankings. Kemar Roach and Nathan Lyon both have 18 wickets with averages between 25-27. Spreading the statistical net further, Smith's batting average is ranked 39th in Division One for all batters (including blokes who have batted once or twice).
Young's 53.8avg is ranked 22nd, although he didn't put up hefty scores in Nottinghamshire's loss to Hampshire. Young started with a duck and the hit 14 runs in the loss. Nottinghamshire are the highest ranked KCT team, sitting fourth in the top division and Young has 269 runs @ 53.8avg/49sr after seven innings.
Warwickshire lost to Essex but Rae got his KCT stint underway with wickets in both innings, snaring 2w @ 3.1rpo and 3w @ 4.3rpo. Rae also whacked a couple sixes in his first innings knock of 16 and grabbed a minor promotion up the order as a nightwatcher to score 5 runs.
Here's how Rae performed last summer for Canterbury...
Plunket Shield: 25w @ 24.4avg/3.3rpo
Ford Trophy: 3w @ 33.6avg/5rpo
Super Smash: 11w @ 21.8avg/8.8rpo
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