Editorial: Jess Watkin's White Ferns debut an innings for all of Whanganui

Whanganui's Jess Watkin hit 77 in her New Zealand debut in Ireland.

It's kind of strange that our affinity with success is stronger when those achieving it have walked the same streets as us.

The White Ferns beat Ireland in the opening game of their UK tour while we slept on Wednesday night but the story here was Jess Watkin's unbeaten 77 on debut.

It was a great innings but many good ones have been played by others before and gone unnoticed in this part of the country.

But Watkin is from Whanganui.

So when we wake to reports of her record-breaking feat in Dublin we pump our fist and feel a sense of pride almost like it's an achievement of our own.

Perhaps it's because Watkin has done the things we've done.

Watkin has played cricket at Victoria Park, walked along the Whanganui River, been to market, gone to school here.

She's trodden a path many of us have, knows what we know and look at her now - achieving on the international stage.

Maybe that makes us feel like it could just as easily have been us.

Unfortunately, most of us are only mediocre so we tap into the success of others to get a slice of excellence and achievement at the top.

We'll take some of Watkin's 77 runs for ourselves; after all, it takes a community to teach, to coach, to mow sports fields, to raise money and to support.

But mostly it's hers to enjoy thanks to talent and years of training and dedication to a craft.

Watkin's international career could not have got off to a better start this week.

She's been knocking on the door of the New Zealand team for some time and her call-up would have been enough to bask in while she found her feet.

But she exceeded expectations and having only just turned 20 Watkin could have a long career ahead.

Most of us will never be international cricketers or rise to the top of our field so instead we look to the few who do make it to excel on our behalf.

No pressure, Jess.