Black Caps bowler Blair Tickner celebrates a wicket against India in a T20 international at Seddon Park, Invercargill, 10 February 2019 Photo: Photosport
Black Caps v England
Second ODI
Starts 2pm, Wednesday 29 October
Seddon Park, Hamilton
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
After dealing with two massive life ordeals in the past few years, recalled Black Caps pace bowler Blair Tickner has a relaxed attitude to his sport.
"Things are bigger than cricket,'' said Tickner, 32, who has joined the New Zealand squad for the remaining two matches in their ODI series against England, the first of which is played in Hamilton on Wednesday (2pm start), replacing Kyle Jamieson who has a side strain.
Tickner is well placed to judge the perspectives around life and sport.
Three years ago his father's Hawke's Bay house was destroyed in the Cyclone Gabrielle floods.
Tickner made his test debut against England the same month with that worry on his mind, and during the break before the second test he went home to help out.
A year later he got a call from his wife Sarah, saying she had leukaemia. He was just about to start a four-day match for Derbyshire in England's County Championship. The England Cricket Board refused to allow him to be replaced.
"So I had to play that game knowing my wife had leukaemia, going back and forth to the hospital and playing," Tickner told reporters in Hamilton.
"Looking back, it's crazy."
The couple returned to New Zealand with baby daughter Florence, and Sarah continued chemotherapy treatment, with Tickner eventually playing cricket between treatment cycles.
"If something went bad, I'd always be there. It was a journey for sure."
His wife is in remission. "She is still having monthly chemo, but she's a strong woman. It's been a big ordeal for the family but we're getting out the other side."
Blair Tickner bowls for the Black Caps against England during the day/night cricket test at Bay Oval, Tauranga, Feb 17 2023 Photo: www.photosport.nz
Things were good enough to enable him to return to Derbyshire for a four-month stint this year. He wanted to repay the county for the support from their side during Sarah's illness.
The other good news is that his father's house has been rebuilt, as have all the houses in his neighbourhood.
It is two years since Tickner last played for the Black Caps and his life experiences have taught him much in that time.
"Things are bigger than cricket, really," he said. "Luckily, we had a lot of time with the family. We took the positives out of it. We wouldn't have spent that much time together as a family if that didn't occur. We just took every good thing that we could out of it."
Tickner has had strong performances for the Central Stags in the Super Smash and Ford Trophy this year but said he wasn't expecting a call-up back into the national side.
"I did tell the selector (that) unless he's picking me, don't worry about ringing me. I'm working on my game myself and I'm ready to go if you're going to pick me."
So when the selector's number came up on his phone, Tickner knew the probable outcome.
"I didn't say anything for about 10 minutes, because I didn't know what to say. And I was around her (Sarah's) family, who had gone through everything with us. They'd been amazing. So it was sort of for them really."
'Always a smile on my face'
He said it was a special time for his family.
"I guess when you've been away from the group for so long you don't expect to get back in there, especially when you're an old boy like me, 32. But I've still got a lot of cricket in me. I feel like I've bowled better than I ever have."
Tickner doesn't know whether he will play in the two games, but said he will enjoy the experience of either playing or supporting teammates.
And if he gets a bit over-exuberant taking a wicket, he said: "Life's short, enjoy it".
He hopes to pass on that attitude to teammates. He reckons cricketers don't understand how lucky they are.
"Unfortunately cricketers can be quite negative, it's always been around the game. You can see it moving into a more positive light now.
"For me I am just bringing my best self around everyone, be happy and try to just enjoy the environment.
"Last time.... I was playing for my place a lot and I probably didn't enjoy my cricket as much as I would have liked.
"So this time I didn't expect it and I'm just here to enjoy it and that's what I'm going to do. There will always be a smile on my face."
