Connell Peter

CRICKET: Connell cashing in on Irish ancestry. Pictured with the North Down Captain Ryan Haire

HAMISH BIDWELL

Black Caps star Nathan Astle can rest easy.

With Best United Travel Havelock North speedster Peter Connell off to Belfast's North Down Cricket Club, there'll be no more need for Astle to sulk in the team's van anymore.

That was the comical scene back in late February when Connell hit Astle on the helmet with consecutive deliveries as the New Zealand team was practising for its One-day International against the West Indies at McLean Park.

Peter 'bounces' Andrew Cowden v Carrick in April

Disgusted at being crusted twice by a net bowler, Astle stormed out of the nets, ripped off his batting gear and spent the rest of the session brooding in the van.

But, now it seems Connell's days of sconning international batsmen have come to an end, at least for the time being. Because, although Connell will no longer be a net-bowling regular here in Hawke's Bay, he has high hopes of sparring with the game's elite in the not-too-distant future.

First league wicket in Ireland

Thanks to a grandmother born in Northern Ireland, Connell will play for North Down as a local in the upcoming Irish Cup competition and from there, he's looking to graduate to the national team as well.

"This whole thing is pretty huge and it's just going to be a great opportunity for me and Kelly (his wife) to experience a whole different life," said Connell.

"And in making the decision to go and play over there, having that Irish ancestry has opened up a whole new door in terms of maybe playing international cricket. It's really hard to gauge what the standard's like over there, but I judge it as being sort of average first-class level.

"I feel I've been good enough to play for CD A here, so I should be pretty competitive over there. I've got 12 months to try and make the Irish team and get to the next World Cup, which would obviously be the opportunity of a lifetime.

"If I could do that, hopefully that would also close a few mouths here."

By that he means the people here in the Bay who've run him down over the years.

Say what you like Connell - and most people have an opinion - but week in and week out there can be no dispute that he is the best quick bowler in town.

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That hasn't been enough to get him into the Hawke's Bay team of late and he can't wait to start a new life somewhere where his reputation doesn't precede him.

"Even just going to a successful club will be something different. When I first started playing for Havelock six years ago, we had a really strong team and had just beaten Tech outright for the first time in 10 years.

"But we've been rebuilding ever since and it's been difficult at times," the 24-year old Hastings Boys' High School teacher said.

"North Down have their 150th Anniversary this year and they've already organised a match against the famous Lashings club.

Beats Syed Abbas Ali in Carrick game

"Mark Waugh, Allan Donald and Chris Cairns are all confirmed for them and, apparently, they only bring 10 players and then auction off the 11th spot to a local.

There are going to be all sorts of fresh challenges there, instead of the bunch that have closed up here."

Bowling to 'Russler' in the nets

Opening Bat and Opening Bowler

Delivery