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Tim Seifert was living the cricket dream, in the middle of a four-month Covid bubble in three countries, being coached by his idol, Brendon McCullum.
But when a New Zealand freedom day came around in late September, there was an important task for the Black Caps Twenty20 ranger to complete.
“I’m going out [of managed isolation, after the Caribbean Premier League] On a Wednesday around noon and the next day at 5 o’clock I was flying to Dubai. It was about 20 hours at home. I dropped my knee to my girlfriend, which was quite exciting, then I went straight on the plane to the IPL, ”said Seifert.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Tim Seifert spreads his shoulders against India.
Seifert’s partner Morgan Croasedale agreed and the 25-year-old flew to the Indian Premier League, where Kolkata Knight Riders coach McCullum had called him up as injury cover.
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“It has made my life a little easier to be outside,” he laughed. “It was fantastic. I had planned to do it [propose] when I came back from CPL isolation and that changed when I got the call to KKR. It was a great opportunity to do it in those 20 hours ”.
Major life events aside, it has now been 10 weeks since Seifert played a competitive match since winning the CPL with Trinbago Knight Riders, led by McCullum and captained by West Indies T20 tour skipper Kieron Pollard. .
Ashley Allen – CPL T20 / Getty Images
Brendon McCullum led the Trinbago Knight Riders to the Caribbean Premier League title in September.
His current managed isolation period (taking into account the heavily regulated IPL bubble) is close to 50 days and counting, finally ending when Seifert and his IPL Black Caps teammates escape from their Christchurch facility on Thursday, the day before Twenty20’s opener against the West Indies in Auckland.
“I have definitely experienced the life of isolation. But I wouldn’t change it for anything, with the opportunities I’ve had ”.
At the top of that list is an extended period of mentoring from McCullum, who along with Shane Bond was recruited as a managed isolation coach for Seifert, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, and Jimmy Neesham while they trained at Lincoln.
Seifert is close enough to McCullum 2.0, a busy power punch starter and athletic goalie who drew comparisons to the former Black Caps captain when he threw 84 of 43 balls to help beat India in Wellington on Waitangi Day 2019. .
“It all started when he came up to me and said ‘well done’ when I got that 80-something against India, then I asked him if we could catch up.
“It has always been on the phone and catching up from time to time. He’s obviously busy, so it’s been one-off training sessions, so the last four months have been almost every day, if not in terms of skills, we are always talking. It has been incredible and it has also grown as a couple. “
Randy Brooks – CPL T20
Goalie Tim Seifert, Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard, and Lendl Simmons hold another CPL window in August.
The similarity extends to their respective styles of wicketkeeping, with Seifert having tried to imitate the likes of McCullum, Adam Gilchrist, Quinton de Kock, and AB de Villiers. Lincoln’s training images were almost a mirror image of the two New Zealanders, completed with the march to gain more power by moving into the stance. “I didn’t realize how close it really was … and was also surprised at how similar it was.”
McCullum enjoyed donning the Black Caps uniform he last wore in February 2016 and working with Seifert, who came to him for advice when he missed the Cricket World Cup team last year.
McCullum said: “His game is very similar to mine. At the same age, he’s ahead of where I was as a hitter, and the ground maintenance has really improved in a short space of time. He continues to impress and I think a great season awaits him for the Black Caps.
“He is a special talent, seeing how quickly someone can improve and develop some skills and their attitude and how much they love it. If you have the opportunity and are able to seize it early on, you can certainly put some pressure on the other formats of the game as well. “
Buddhika Weerasinghe / Getty Images
Tim Seifert, the Black Caps glove, will return to the top of the standings against the West Indies.
Interestingly, Seifert started just five times in 23 international T20 innings for New Zealand, but with Colin Munro bypassed as he prepares for Australia’s Big Bash League, Seifert will join Martin Guptill on top on Friday at his favorite venue.
McCullum said: “His best game is definitely at the top of the order. He has some skills and attributes that can be incredibly destructive and I’m sure we will see him on good surfaces in New Zealand. “
