BJ Watling

BJ Watling

Watling seen as the non-striker during a test in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Bradley-John Watling
Born	(1985-07-09) 9 July 1985 Durban, Natal Province, South Africa
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right-arm off break
Role	Batsman, wicket-keeper
International information
National side	New Zealand
Test debut (cap 244)	11 December 2009 v Pakistan
Last Test	12 October 2016 v India
ODI debut (cap 162)	13 August 2010 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	23 February 2013 v England
ODI shirt no.	47
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2004–	Northern Districts
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 36 22 113 97 Runs scored 1,961 528 6,662 3,201 Batting average 37.71 29.33 38.50 40.01 100s/50s 5/10 0/5 13/40 7/22 Top score 142* 96* 164* 145* Balls bowled – – 47 – Wickets – – 2 – Bowling average – – 19.50 – 5 wickets in innings – – 0 – 10 wickets in match – – 0 – Best bowling – – 2/31 – Catches/stumpings 119/5 16/0 218/5 74/3
Source: ESPN CricInfo, 24 January 2016

Bradley-John Watling (born 9 July 1985), known as BJ Watling, is a South African-born New Zealand cricketer who has represented Northern Districts since December 2004. He made his Test debut in December 2009 and eight months later played his first One Day International. In 2012 Watling assumed the role of wicket-keeper in Tests.

Personal life and early cricket

Born in South Africa, BJ Watling's family moved to New Zealand when he was 10 years old. While at Hamilton Boys' High School Watling was coached by former Test cricketer Chris Kuggeleijn.^[1] During his time at school, Watling won the Gillette Cup twice and he played in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2004. One of his greatest achievements at Hamilton Boys' High School was contributing to a 200 + run partnership with Daniel Boughtwood which remains a 1st XI record. Watling also scored 378 in the 2008 Hamilton senior club final, for Hamilton Old Boys against Eastern Suburbs.

Career

Watling made his first-class debut for Northern Districts against Auckland on 6 December 2004 in the State Championship. Playing as a wicket-keeper he scored 37 in the first innings while batting number eight, but in the second innings was promoted to open the batting with Nick Horsley and was dismissed for one run.^[2] In his first two first-class for Northern Districts Watling played as a wicket-keeper, but the team wanted him to play as an opening batsman instead and 'keeping fell by the wayside.^[3] Later in December Watling made his List A debut against Wellington in the State Shield. He opened the batting with Llorne Howell and was dismissed second ball without scoring a run.^[4]

International

He was selected in New Zealand's squad to play a One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in October and November 2009. Although he was not selected in the ODI series, which New Zealand won 2–1, he made his international debut when he kept wicket in the first Twenty20 International in Dubai, which New Zealand lost by 49 runs.^[5] After showing strong form for the Knights in domestic cricket, Watling replaced Peter Fulton in New Zealand's squad for the third Test against Pakistan in December 2009.^[6] Watling opened with Tim McIntosh and they provided some uncharacteristic stability to New Zealand's opening partnership. Watling, however, was out caught after an opening stand of 60 runs. In the second innings, Watling hit an unbeaten, quickfire 60 runs from 62 balls, his first half century in Test cricket. Watling and McIntosh made an opening stand of 90 before rain ended play and any New Zealand hopes of victory.

On 13 August 2010 Watling made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in the 2010 Triangular series. He opened the batting and top-scored for New Zealand with 55 runs from 68 deliveries in a three-wicket defeat.^[7]

When Zimbabwe toured New Zealand in January 2012, incumbent wicket-keeper Reece Young was dropped because he did not score enough runs in the previous Test against Australia. Watling and Kruger van Wyk were the front runners for the position,^[8] and Watling was eventually given the gloves for the one-off Test. His first six Tests were as a specialist batsman.^[9] Though he had kept wicket in both the T20Is he had played and two ODIs, at the time Watling had kept wicket in just two first-class matches, both of which were in 2004.^[3] New Zealand won the Test by an innings and Watling scored his first Test century, making 102 runs in the first innings.^[10] On his return to the domestic circuit with Northern Districts, Watling assumed the role of wicket-keeper to gain more experience.^[11] A hip injury prevent Watling from participating in the first Test against South Africa in March, and he was replaced by Kruger van Wyk.^[12]

On 16–17 February 2014 Watling scored 124 runs against India. His 352 run partnership with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was at the time the highest sixth wicket stand in test cricket history.^[13]

The record was surpassed on 5–6 January 2015 by Watling and Kane Williamson with an unbroken 365 run partnership before a declaration against Sri Lanka at Wellington's Basin Reserve. Both players posted their highest test scores, with Williamson not out on 242 and Watling not out on 142. Watling has also been involved in three of the six highest 200+ run 6th-wicket partnerships in the team's history.

In 2015, he became stand-in captain for Black Caps for the tour against England while many players are still fulfilling his duties in the Indian Premier League.

During the first test against England, he suffered an injury that stopped him from keeping behind the wickets in the second innings and most of the first innings on the field, and was moved to the outfield. His gloves were given to Tom Latham. In the second test, playing as a no. 8 batsman only, with Luke Ronchi making his test debut behind the wickets, he became the first New Zealand player to ever score a century at Headingley.

In the first test against Sri Lanka in the 2015-2016 Sri Lanka's tour to New Zealand, Watling took his 100th dismissal with his first catch of the match, and went on to take his 100th catch to finish with nine catches for the match, a New Zealand record he shares with Brendon McCullum, who has already given up wicket-keeping.^[14]

Playing style

According to Watling he consciously modeled his batting on that of South African international Jonty Rhodes: "He wasn't the biggest hitter, more an accumulator. He hit well to the gaps and ran well between wickets. It's kind of how I like to play, or at least develop my game to be like."^[1]

International centuries

Test centuries

BJ Watling's Test centuries
#	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year	Result
1	102*	7	Zimbabwe	Napier, New Zealand	McLean Park	2012	Won
2	103	15	Bangladesh	Chittagong, Bangladesh	Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium	2013	Drawn
3	124	21	India	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2014	Drawn
4	142*	29	Sri Lanka	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2015	Won
5	120	31	England	Leeds, England, United Kingdom	Headingley Stadium	2015	Won
6	107	39	Zimbabwe	Bulawayo, Zimbabwe	Queen's Sports Club	2016	Won

International Awards

Test Cricket

Man of the match awards

S No	Series	Season	Series Performance	Result
1	New Zealand in England	2015	1st Innings: 14 (9 balls: 3×4) 2nd Innings: 120 (163 balls: 15x4, 1x6)	New Zealand won by 199 runs.[15]

One-Day International Cricket

Man of the series awards

S No	Series	Season	Series Performance	Result
1	New Zealand in Sri Lanka	2012/13	Runs: 166 (200 balls: 19×4), Ave – 83.00, SR – 83.00 Field: WK, 5 catches.	Sri Lanka Won the series 3-0.[16]

References

External links

• Player profile: BJ Watling from ESPNcricinfo
• Player profile: BJ Watling from CricketArchive

New Zealand squad – 2012 ICC World Twenty20
3 Taylor (C) 11 Vettori 15 N. McCullum 20 Milne 22 Williamson 24 Oram 28 Nicol 31 Guptill 34 Bracewell 36 Hira 37 Mills 38 Southee 42 B. McCullum 47 Watling 70 Franklin Coach: Hesson