Cricket: Never too late - keeper gets Black Caps call

Reece Young with 7-month-old daughter Heidi. Photo / Paul Estcourt

It's funny how what first appear to be negatives can really turn out to be positives.

Take Reece Young, for example, the veteran Auckland gloveman yesterday promoted into the Black Caps after a decade of toil on the first-class scene.

Who'd have thought that the arrival of Gareth Hopkins to challenge for his keeping job at the Aces, followed fairly swiftly by a broken ankle that wrecked a promising season, would have been the catalyst to finally propel Young into the international side?

But that's exactly what happened. Hopkins' arrival allowed Young to concentrate on his batting, where he fashioned himself into a dependable No 3, while the time off resting the ankle he broke in January 2008 allowed the 29-year-old to reassess his goals.

"I got a chance to take stock and step back and wonder if I really did want to keep playing cricket and follow the dream of playing for New Zealand," Young said. "My wife and I had just got married and were starting a family. I basically looked at myself in the mirror and thought that I really did want to try and give it a crack for another couple of seasons - and here I am."

At times the prospects of realising his international dream must have seemed remote. Brendon McCullum was a fixture with the gloves, while others such as Chris Nevin, Hopkins and Peter McGlashan have all been preferred as alternatives.

It is a touch ironic that, having given up the gloves full time to concentrate on his batting, Young now finds himself rated the country's second-best gloveman - but he cares not a jot.

"I think that is probably what gave me a bit of an edge," he said. "My keeping has been pretty sound. It was the batting where I needed to show that I could hold my own."

Young's form during Auckland's championship-winning season suggests he can do a touch more than that. His career average is just 26.41 but 2008-09 was a breakthrough season with the bat. His 557 runs, the 10th most in the country, came at an average of 50.63, with a century in the opening game against Canterbury setting the tone for a solid campaign.

He wore the gloves when Hopkins was away on Black Caps duty and also for New Zealand A on their tour of India, and it is that experience he believes helped his selection for August's tour of Sri Lanka.

Young will warm up for the trip with a New Zealand emerging players side that departs for a three-week tour of Australia on Monday.

He knows his prospects of playing much in Sri Lanka will depend on McCullum's fitness, particularly a dicky back that has seen the No 1 sometimes put aside the gloves.

"I'm not too sure about Brendon's fitness so I am just going over there expecting to play if need be and preparing like I will play."

The return from the international wilderness of Shane Bond - who will play the ODIs in Sri Lanka - and Daryl Tuffey, and the omission of all-rounder James Franklin were the other features of yesterday's selections.

Tuffey, who last played at test level in 2004, captured 27 first-class wickets for Auckland at an average of 22 in the State Championship.

Otago opener Craig Cumming has secured a place as the specialist batting cover for the test series.

Several specialist limited overs players come into the squad for the Twenty20 and one-day internationals segment of the tour.