Yovich hits another milestone

The day Northern Districts stalwart Joseph Yovich rolls out of bed and does not want to go to training is the day he will pull the pin on playing cricket.
"As long as I still enjoy what I am doing and my body lets me, then I will keep on playing ... how long is a piece of string really?"
On Tuesday, Yovich hit another milestone, playing his 100th first class match for ND, against Wellington at the Basin Reserve in their second Plunket Shield match of the season.
He marked the occasion in style, hitting 77 yesterday as the No7 batsman to help ND establish a handy lead of 195 with a day's play still remaining.
Yovich has entered a select club - only Grant Bradburn (115), Andy Roberts (104) and James Marshall (101) have reached 100 first class games for ND while Michael Parlane has played more than 100 games but for various associations and he is New Zealand's 11th player to reach 100 first class games for his province.
Following his first class debut as an 18-year-old quick bowler against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in 1996, Yovich has embarked on a long and rewarding career, playing for Northland and ND.
Now a batting allrounder, the 33-year-old, who is highly dedicated to staying fit, has missed only one game for ND through injury.
That was when he accidentally cut a finger cleaning his spikes on the morning of a match.
The people he has met - along with winning matches - are the most vivid highlights of Yovich's stint with ND.
"Any match where I've played with bat and ball and we have gone on to win is an achievement. I've played in nine championship titles which we have won, three of those have been in the first class form. Each time we won is a massive highlight for me," he said.
His teammates and coaches have helped shape Yovich as a player, who has made three centuries, 20 fifties and a high of 144 against Central Districts, taken 10 wickets in a match and set bowling figures of seven for 64 while representing ND.
"The guys I have met - many incumbent New Zealand players - have played a big part in the way I've played the game ... It hasn't only been the guys at ND, but also many people at Northland have had a huge influence on my life - they taught me to play hard and to never give up. A lot of those Northland people are involved with ND."
The current ND team is a special bunch of men, Yovich said.
Most of the team were part of the successful 2009-2010 Plunket Shield and domestic 50-Over Competition winning ND team when Yovich wracked up 100 one-day games for the province.
"The team is reflective of the team and era of when I started with ND. It is led from the management and coaching staff who have installed ethics and a great culture in the team. The group enjoys themselves off the field and that then shows on the field.
"There are a few experienced guys and the younger guys are learning off them. When I first started along with Daniel Vettori, Grant Bradburn (the current ND coach) and the older guys there really welcomed me and hopefully I can continue to do that for the younger guys coming through."
On Sunday, ND coach Grant Bradburn and Northland Chief executive Gary Bell will make a presentation to Yovich marking his milestone, at Whangarei's Cobham Oval where the Knights will be training, at approximately 1pm.