Every innings is an outing

• Published date: 08 November 2021

“I’m trying to keep it as simple as I can and focusing on one game at a time,” says the Cornwall Club player, after making his first-class debut for Central Districts in the Plunket Shield against Canterbury last month.

It was a debut to remember as the 23-year-old right-handed batsman from Hastings made a century in CD’s first innings.

“The day before at training the coach [Rob Walter] just said to me I’ll be playing and making my debut. I kinda had some sort of idea but it was pretty cool him letting me know before.”

CD were 101-5 when Wiggins, batting at seven, came to the crease in the 34th over at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

Although partner Dane Cleaver departed 27 runs later, Wiggins and bowler Ben Wheeler were able to put on a seventh-wicket partnership of 183 before Wheeler was out for 74, with Wiggins eventually making 133.

“In the first innings we were in a difficult situation so that kept me under pressure, made me sort of go through my processes even more as we were under the pump a little bit.

“I guess that’s the nature of red-ball cricket, or cricket in general. Situation awareness is always going to be at the top of your mind and that’s what I had to do in that first game.”

The Canterbury attack that Wiggins and his team-mates faced included current Black Caps fast bowler Matt Henry.

“I think, especially with the quality of the competition, you’re always going to have guys like that playing against you. You get around not worrying about the names and just focusing on the ball, but it’s always cool facing bowlers like that and going up against that sort of quality.”

CD’s second Plunket Shield match of the season was against Otago last weekend in Dunedin.

Wiggins was promoted to open in the absence of Ben Smith, due to the impending birth of Smith’s first child.

“At this stage in my career, I prefer batting in the middle order, but I don’t mind opening and have done it for Hawke’s Bay a lot.”

Unfortunately, Wiggins was out for a third-ball duck in CD’s first innings.

The team went on to score 394 in their first innings, with fellow opener and captain Greg Hay scoring 152.

Otago amassed 642 for six declared in their first innings over a total of 179 overs, before the visitors reached 274 for two in their second innings and the match ended in a draw.

“That’s a first for me to be fielding that many overs. It just shows that at a high level of cricket — one day you’re on top of the world and the next you can be back in the sheds after...