Will O'Rourke in action during the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Photo / Photosport
Will O'Rourke in action during the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Photo / Photosport
Most Black Caps would prefer to forget the 2019 World Cup final but that fateful day played a part in the rise of Will O’Rourke.
The burgeoning seamer will soon be selected for his first major international event, with the Champions Trophy squad named the morning after the third ODI against Sri Lanka.
O’Rourke helped ensure that day-night match at Eden Park on Saturday would be a dead rubber, claiming new best figures of 3-31 as New Zealand clinched the series at Seddon Park on Wednesday.
That appearance was the 23-year-old’s fifth ODI since making his debut in December 2023 but, despite that relative inexperience, his place in the team heading to Pakistan next month was already secured.
Such has been the impact made by O’Rourke in a 10-test career, with England skipper Ben Stokes speaking glowingly about the opposing bowler after last month’s test series.
O’Rourke might have been ambivalent about those words given Stokes was a central figure in a painful if formative memory in his cricketing life.
Stokes, born in New Zealand, was player of the match in the tied 2019 final, helping his side reach and triumph in a Super Over. O’Rourke, born in England, was watching that game from the stands, holding dreams of one day joining the side who suffered a heartbreaking defeat.
Less than five years later those dreams were realised, and O’Rourke would make a record-setting test debut alongside three players who had featured in that final.
Now he is preparing to travel to a world event alongside Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Matt Henry, still surprised by the speed of his ascent.
“It’s happened a lot quicker than I probably would have thought,” O’Rourke said. “But it’s obviously always the dream; you always want to be playing at the top level. It’s those sorts of moments that inspire you to keep working hard and trying to get here.
“The back-to-back finals in the one-day World Cups ring pretty close. I was there at the semifinal at Eden Park [in 2015] and I was also there at Lord’s for the final in 2019. Those ones are right up there.
“It’s pretty cool seeing how good our team has gone in those sorts of periods, and we’re pushing to keep that going.”
O’Rourke attended the 2019 showpiece while on holiday with family. Having watched the Black Caps stun India in the semifinals, his father Patrick — who played first-class cricket for Wellington — made the most of an unexpected opportunity.
“After India didn’t make it, there were a few [tickets] going and we managed to get a couple,” O’Rourke said. “We were just on holiday over there — Dad’s a big cricket buff so that probably had something to do with that sort of scheduling.”
Family vacations may be scheduled around major tournaments for some time yet.
Will O'Rourke is shining across cricket's formats. Photo / Photosport
O’Rourke has already become an indispensable point of difference in red-ball cricket, using his 1.97m frame to generate extra bounce and pace approaching 150km/h.
Now, with Tim Southee having walked away and Trent Boult essentially calling time on his international career, O’Rourke has a chance to lock down a limited-overs starting spot for the foreseeable future.
“For me, it’s more of the same,” he said of the switch between formats. “The same sort of role — running in and trying to bash a heavy length.
“I guess it is a little bit different. I probably took a little bit of tap in Wellington [in the first ODI], but it’s been a lot of fun. I haven’t played a lot of white-ball cricket for New Zealand so it’s been cool to have this opportunity.
“A lot of people are coming out to support us and white-ball cricket’s very entertaining. So having a big block of it right before a crucial tournament has been awesome for us.”
Adding more cricket to his diet will only increase the attention paid to O’Rourke’s body, with coach Gary Stead having spoken about the importance of managing the youngster’s workload.
A break during the T20 series against Sri Lanka was spent in the gym and O’Rourke now felt fresh and ready to take on Pakistan, Bangladesh and India next month.
“It was pretty tough work and I was pretty sore for that week I was back in the gym but I’m back now and feeling pretty fit and pretty strong,” he said.
“If selected, it’s going to be a really cool time over in Pakistan and Dubai. Obviously different conditions to here but I had a wee crack at the T20s in Pakistan [last April] and that was a lot of fun. If I’m lucky enough to be able to go there, it’ll be pretty awesome.”
With any luck, and with O’Rourke in the attack, the Black Caps will soon be able to create better memories than 2019.
The Alternative Commentary Collective is covering every home Black Caps test this summer. Listen to live commentary here.
Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.
