New Zealand v England: Tom Blundell reflects on 'scary moment' before century against tourists
- Published
Tom Blundell has scored 1,503 runs in 23 Tests at an average of 44.20
England v New Zealand - second Test |
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Venue: Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington Dates: 24-28 February (starts 23 February GMT) |
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app. |
While his New Zealand team-mates prepared for the first Test against England amid a cyclone, wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was in hospital with his newborn son.
Three days later, Blundell made his highest score in Test cricket - hitting 138 as he rescued his team from 83-5 to 306 all out in a superb rearguard innings.
"Everything was fine when my son Freddie was born and we took him home that day," Blundell tells BBC Sport.
"But then he picked up RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], which is quite common and going around New Zealand, so we had to take him back to hospital for three or four days.
"It was quite a scary moment, especially with him being so fragile. Luckily for us he's back home and doing really well."
When Freddie came out of hospital, Blundell had to leave for the airport to fly to Mount Maunganui to face England.
Despite a week of personal anguish in the context of the wider national crisis caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, Blundell says he felt "refreshed" arriving at the ground for the Test.
"Having a child puts life into perspective a little bit," he says. "There's more to life than a game of cricket so I came into the Mount baggage-free.
"I hadn't trained or picked up a bat for a week, which was quite a nice feeling and teaches you to trust your process and what you've done for a number of years."
Blundell's century - his fourth, in his 23rd Test - kept New Zealand in firm contention after the first innings, before Stuart Broad's superb spell on the evening of day three, including the wicket of Blundell, put England on course for victory by 267 runs.
Blundell is highly popular with his team-mates for his ability to remain level-headed regardless of circumstance.
Nevertheless, it is a relief for him and his family that the second Test, starting on Friday (Thursday 22:00 GMT), takes place at the Basin Reserve in Wellington - his hometown.
It means that at the end of each day's play he will be able to spend evenings with his partner and two children, instead of in a hotel.
"It's always a nice feeling when you get to play in your hometown," says Blundell.
"To come here and represent New Zealand again is pretty nice, and to be able to go home after a day's play and see the family is great."
A committed character, Blundell is in the gym almost as much as the nets, and has been given the nickname 'Strepsil' by one of his domestic team-mates, because of his physique being "all chest".
Asked about the name, Blundell laughs and, playing along with the gag, gestures to his body and concedes he has "a couple of good dinner plates on him".
His dedication in the gym epitomises a person who excels when focused on a singular goal.
That mindset saw Blundell, 32, successfully change his career path over the past decade from a jobbing batter who bowled a bit of spin to becoming one of the best wicketkeeper-batters in the world.
"There was an opportunity here in Wellington," says Blundell, who only took up keeping full-time in his early 20s.
"Luke Ronchi had just flown over from Western Australia and set up his life here. You could see his pathway into the Black Caps so I saw an opportunity as there was no real back-up keeper for Wellington."
After playing four one-day international and three T20s for Australia, Ronchi qualified for New Zealand and went on to make 114 appearances for the Black Caps, mainly in white-ball cricket as he was behind BJ Watling in Tests.
"I worked on my keeping along the way so when Ronchi moved up to that next level I was lucky enough to get an opportunity here at Wellington and the rest is sort of history," adds Blundell.
In 2021, Blundell took over as New Zealand's number one wicketkeeper when Watling retired following a fine career.
Blundell has excelled in the role, averaging 48.47 when playing as the designated wicketkeeper. Against England, that average rises to 69.50.
"Stuart Broad and James Anderson are going to go down in history as two of the best players to play the game, so I love facing them," says Blundell. "To be successful against them is pretty cool."
This week, Blundell will have another chance to take England on and perform against the best - this time with an extra fan in the ground, as two-week-old Freddie will have his first chance to see his dad in action.
"There'll be a big contingent of my family and friends down here and it's always nice when you get to do that," adds Blundell.
"Especially here at the Basin, one of the best grounds in New Zealand, if not the world."
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