Graeme Aldridge is a selected member of the WAT New Zealand A Team 2005/6. Thanks to his New Zealand state team, Northern Districts and Vince Stockdale, ND's Commercial Operations Manager, we were able to get in contact with Graeme and pose him a few questions in order for us to find out a little bit about him and his background. To give you a little context, Graeme has been one of the top bowlers in New Zealand state cricket over the past few seasons. He has been particularly succesful in the one day New Zealand State Shield where he's taken 88 wickets at 22.32 during his career to date. He is also a more than useful tail end batsman. Anyway, over to Graeme:

Q1. How were you first introduced to cricket, and what about the game got you hooked?
Q2. What hobbies/sports do you get up to when not playing or training for cricket?
Q3. Who are your favourite cricketers of all time, and which cricketer do you think influenced your own style the most?
Q4. What advice would you give to youngsters to encourage them to take up cricket?
Q5. What has been your own personal highlight from your career so far?
Q6. Who are the best players you have played with and against?
Q7. How important do you think training and participating in matches overseas is? What overseas teams have you played for and what have you learnt from the experience?
Q8. How important is the relationship between keeper and bowler in the taking of wickets?
Q9. What are your views on 20:20 cricket, and do you think there is sufficient cricket played at the state level in New Zealand?
Q10. When you retire as a player what career path are you likely to take - coaching, administration, media or something outside of cricket?

Q11. What is your opinion on overseas players playing in State cricket?
Q12. Who has been the greatest influence on your cricket career?
Q13.Are there any young players around that you are aware of that could be knocking on the door for Test selection in the future?
Q14. What is your nickname, and how did you get it?
Q15. If you were given the opportunity, what would you change in order to improve the standard of state cricket?
Q16. What do you think you need to do to get noticed by John Bracewell and the other national team selectors?
Q17. What aspirations do you have outside of cricket?
Q18. With the retirement of Chris Cairns, who is now the 'father figure' of the NZ side, that all you can all look to for inspiration and advice?
Q19. How much would playing for a New Zealand 'A' Team mean to you? Do you see the 'A' team as a stepping stone to full honours, or as a side-show detracting from State and full international cricket?
Q20. How much influence did your father's career in cricket have on you? How did he influence you?
Q21. You have studied at Waikato University in Teaching whilst also having a professional career as a cricketer, what difficulties has presented you in both your studies and your cricket, and how have you overcome those difficulties?
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Once again, many thanks to Graeme for his answers, and also to his state, Northern Districts for setting up the interview. I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing him luck for his studies in the off season, and for another successful year with the ball next year!

I read Yovich's and these are absolutely brilliant Andy! Keep up the good work.

What I'd like to see, obviously only if it's feasible- I think it would be great if you had the time for a face to face interview. I say that because then follow up questions could be asked. Likewise I'd like to do one for Victorian players.

Just updated the interview with Graeme Aldridge following his selection for the WAT New Zealand A Team for the second year in a row. I contacted him again and asked him a few questions about the season just gone.

http://www.world-a-team.net/content/view/15/28/

Great work again, Andy. Thanks.

So, how many genuine cricket grounds are there in New Zealand then? Does cricket have to share their grounds with oher sports like rugby?

Pretty much just Seddon Park I think. Even the Basin Reserve gets used for rugby practice these days. The other main stadia - Eden Park and Jade Stadium are rugby grounds first and cricket grounds second. The Westpac Stadium used for ODIs in Wellington is 'mixed' (i.e. drop in wicket when required), McLean Park in Napier is a rugby ground first and Carisbrooke down in Dunedin is now only for rugby since they booted Otago Cricket out.

I have always been at some awe at how New Zealand can still produce world class cricket...when it's not the first choice sport.

Okay, football and rugby are the main sports over here, but cricket has always had a great deal of support. And there was always huge funding made available to develop the cricket grounds.