Alex Tait will celebrate 150 premier appearances for BWCUCC on Saturday, marking a remarkable chapter for one of the club’s most influential players and Metro cricket’s best competitors.
The club’s 603rd Premier cap will reach the milestone mark when BWCUCC’s top side takes on local rivals Old Boys Collegians at Burnside Park on Saturday, shining a light on another significant chapter in a career that has become intertwined with one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
Tait has been a constant presence through much of that success, developing from a young cricketer juggling shift work into one of Christchurch Metro’s most dangerous and dependable new-ball bowlers.
Alongside Jackson Latham, he has formed one of the competition’s most consistent opening partnerships, with the pair almost always setting the tone with the new ball.
Tait has won three Christchurch Metro two-day championships, three 50-over titles and a T20 championship, while being selected in the CMCA T20 Team of the Year four times.
He also holds the Metro record for the best T20 bowling figures, taking 6-26 against Old Boys at Elmwood.
Across 55 T20 appearances, Tait has claimed 69 wickets at 14.81, while his 83 wickets from 50 one-day matches have come at 17.90. In two-day cricket, his record is even more imposing, with 139 wickets from 44 matches at 14.38, including six five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket match.
There have been countless dominant spells with the ball, but also been his contribution with the bat, adding three half centuries across all formats to his impressive bowling resume. His competitiveness and, increasingly, his leadership and willingness to pass on his knowledge to younger bowlers has been an immeasurable quality which has been reflected in the club’s success.
“It is really exciting to be celebrating Taity’s 150th game this weekend. The way Alex has developed from when he joined the club as a sparky, often doing shift work and unable to fully commit to his cricket, to become one of the most lethal opening bowlers in the competition has been awesome to watch,” Premier captain Matt Hay says.
“Taity is a proven match winner across all formats and has done this regularly over many seasons. Memories spring to mind of some of his red ball spells, bowling OBC out for 26 and his match figures against East Shirley 24 overs 8 wickets for 10 runs of quality probing outswing bowling.”
“I think it can be overlooked how good his white ball record is and has held the CMCA T20 best bowling figures of 6/26 for a long time. His batting has iced a lot of games as well, and from the side always know we are in the game when he is in the game.
“The growth he has shown as a leader and sharing knowledge and help our younger bowlers plan their overs and tactical ideas is also great from a captaincy point of view. It is no coincidence that our success over the past 5/6 years aligns with the years Taity has been in the side, he is a great competitor and hates losing which sets a great standard for the team.”
Tait’s on field contribution has also stretched beyond his club cricket. The Invercargill product proudly represented Southland and was part of the side that famously reclaimed the Hawke Cup from Counties Manukau in 2018, the province’s first triumph in the competition since 1992.
Back at Burnside, the Southlander has been a terrific servant of the club, a match-winner, leader, mentor and competitor, and his 150th game arrives as a fitting celebration of everything he has contributed.
The club will mark the occasion at Burnside Park on Saturday when it takes on Old Boys Collegians, with the cricket club and bar open throughout the day.
For a player who has given so much to the club, it should be a special day shared with the teammates, friends and supporters who have been part of the journey, so feel free to join Taity and the team for a few drinks after play concludes.
– Callum Hill.