Cricket: Papps cannot explain magnificent comeback

3.00pm


Prolific Canterbury opening batsman Michael Papps has no magic formula to explain why he has already scored more than 1000 runs in representative cricket this summer.

Before Canterbury's State-Shield match against Central Districts today, Papps had compiled 463 runs in eight games at an average of 66 plus 542 runs from nine State Championship innings, averaging 60.

There have been four centuries and two other scores in the 90s.

"You have a couple of good knocks early on in the season and go from there. Your confidence is up, and it helps that the team is winning," said Papps yesterday.

"My off-season preparation was pretty much the same as usual. I just tried to look at my game, stick to the basics, and make it as simple as possible."

The rich vein of runs struck by Papps, 24, has brought him strongly into Black Caps contention, with incumbent test opener Lou Vincent struggling at international level while recent one-day opener Craig Cumming has not cemented his place.

Playing international cricket is his goal, but he prefers to concentrate on "performing for Canterbury, and those sorts of things will hopefully take care of themselves".

The Papps run-scoring avalanche represents a courageous comeback from the sickening facial injuries inflicted when he was felled by Northern Districts fast bowler Ian Butler at Timaru 12 months ago.

He suffered a broken nose and a cracked eye socket bone when a ball from Butler cannoned into his face between his helmet and visor.

Despite having one eye closed, Papps returned from X-rays at Timaru hospital to face the match-winning ball in Canterbury's two-wicket win.

But the rest of his season was a nightmare.

During the first half of the summer, Papps had averaged 72.60 in the State Championship.

In 10 post-injury innings he cobbled together only 106 runs at 10.60.

"It dented my confidence. I think I might have come back a little bit too early and didn't give myself enough time to get over it," reflected Papps.

"We had a pretty congested schedule at that time last year. When you lose a bit of form it's hard to get out of a rut when you have game after game.

"It was disappointing because in the first half of the season, and in the season before, I had gone really well."

The heavy workload imposed on Papps when he is both opening the batting and keeping wicket is seen as more of a bonus than a burden.

"It is a big workload at times but it does have its benefits.

"You are always in the game and always focused. I've done it my whole life at various levels so it's no different now."

- NZPA