Wizards trip magical for Chris Rushworth
Aug 27 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal
CHRIS Rushworth will spend his winter with New Zealand side Canterbury Wizards brushing up on the skills learnt in his maiden season of first-class cricket.
The 23-year-old seamer from Sunderland has made seven LV County Championship appearances for Durham in 2010, two years after being released by the county.
Rushworth is not involved in the current four-day game at Somerset but has not missed much, with no play possible for the last two days.
Today’s play, if there is any, will be an exercise in salvaging as many bonus points as possible before the inevitable draw is called this afternoon.
Just being around a first-class dressing room is, though, an education for Rushworth, who thought his county days were over when he spent the last two seasons playing locally for Sunderland.
Since being given his chance in Durham’s injury-ravaged attack at Headingley in April, Rushworth has demonstrated good skills with the swinging ball and now needs to add greater consistency and accuracy to his armoury.
Mindful of that, he will spend his winter with State Shield outfit Canterbury, taking advantage of the presence of former Durham off-spinner Paul Wiseman on the club’s coaching staff.
Rushworth said: “Consistency is a big thing I need to improve. I have plans to go overseas in the winter and hopefully they will help me come back stronger, fitter and better mentally as well.
“I want to get more games under my belt next year.
“I am hoping to go to New Zealand to Wisey’s club over there. Maybe that will help along the way.
“As a bowler I think you need to keep your body in bowling fitness all year round. That will help for the future.”
Rushworth is still pinching himself at being part of English cricket’s most successful county side of recent years.
Playing alongside some of the domestic games leading stars has only accelerated his cricketing education.
He added: “It has been unbelievable. From where I was this time a year ago to being in and around the squad and having played seven games as I have now, it is pretty much a dream come true.
“I never expected to play so many games this season, especially with the bowling side we had.
“Whether it be through injuries or bad luck on the part of other players, to have the chance and be in the fold is a massive achievement.
“Every game you learn something new. It is always good bowling with someone like Harmy (Stephen Harmison) at the other end, you always have that experience to fall back on. There are also the likes of Benks (Dale Benkenstein) and (Michael) Di Venuto – to be among those guys you are always picking up some sort of knowledge of the game every day.
“The changing room is massively different to a club one.
“Everyone has masses of experience and so much knowledge about the game
“At club level, people think they know about the game, but when they come up against the big guys it makes a massive difference.”
Above all, Rushworth has had the privilege of playing alongside one of the bowlers he idolised as a youngster.
He added: “To be an Ashes winner twice and have a record of 700 first-class wickets, who would not look up to Harmy as a young bowler?
“When you are bowling and he is at mid-on or mid-off he fills you with confidence.
“He does not tell you what to do but he gives you advice and puts you on the right track. He is brilliant.”
With Somerset eager to play to keep up the pressure on Championship leaders Nottinghamshire, sodden Taunton made for a depressing sight yesterday.
Whether out of blind optimism or respect for the handful of spectators, the umpires inspected at 9am, 12.30, 1.30 and 2.30pm before finally putting everyone out of their misery.
The sight of 19-year-old all-rounder Ben Stokes limping heavily as he wandered out to survey the scene was a reminder the injuries which have ruined Durham’s season show no sign of relenting as a campaign mentally and physically draining for players accustomed to success limps to an unsatisfactory conclusion.
