Cricket: Newcomer thanks Rixon

By MARK GEENTY

Steve Rixon might be long gone from the scene, but his legacy remains as yet another New Zealand international labelled him his big career-influence.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins, 27, will pull on the gloves for New Zealand in Leicester for the first time today in a sneak preview of his impending one-day international debut next month.

Hopkins, from Taupo via Christchurch and Dunedin, was summoned from his North London club this week to fill in for New Zealand in their four-day match before next week's second test in Leeds.

While it is only a low-key affair for Hopkins as Brendon McCullum rests his battered hands after last week's first test against England, there is a lot bigger to come.

McCullum will make way again next month when he returns home for the birth of his first child, meaning Hopkins could well play against the West Indies in Cardiff on July 3.

As with McCullum and former test gloveman Adam Parore, Hopkins rated Rixon's influence without peer during the Australian's time as New Zealand coach from 1996-99.

"When Steve Rixon was coach he laid down a technical template which I agreed with and wanted to implement in my game," said Hopkins, who has 60 first-class matches to his name, a batting average of 28.38 and 136 catches.

"I stuck with that. It was a different technique, a different theory about standing up and taking the ball. I tried it and found I was a lot more consistent."

Hopkins was in the queue behind Parore and Otago's Martyn Croy back in 1999 when he graduated to New Zealand A team duty, but he fell behind Chris Nevin, Robbie Hart and McCullum in the pecking order after Parore hung up the gloves in 2002.

Originally from Northern Districts, where he found Hart in the way, Hopkins shifted to Canterbury and stayed there five years before McCullum was enticed back last season.

That irked Hopkins and he took immediate action, effectively trading places with McCullum and heading for Otago under coach Glenn Turner, who had a positive influence.

Batting is a key part of Hopkins' game and he rose as high as No 3 for Otago this year.

He scored 258 runs at 28.66 in the State Shield one-day competition and his glovework impressed the selectors enough to name him ahead of Nevin for the New Zealand A series against Sri Lanka A in April.

"Mentally, my game has developed," Hopkins said. "My focus and concentration is a lot sharper for longer periods."

New Zealand coach John Bracewell admitted he will be learning as much about Hopkins as anyone in the next week. He has relied on the word of fellow selectors Sir Richard Hadlee, Ross Dykes and Brian McKechnie.

"Gareth is multi-skilled with bat and gloves, and in their opinion is next cab off the rank for one-day cricket," Bracewell said.

"I can't agree or disagree because I haven't seen enough of him, but you have to rely on the expertise of the other selectors."

New Zealand will rest Shane Bond, Jacob Oram, Mark Richardson and Daryl Tuffey today.

- NZPA