Howzat? Hiwa passes the cricket test

First-year Exercise Science student Rudra Brahmbhatt was chilling out in the quiet zone at Hiwa, getting on with his work in the calming blue low-sensory area near the pool, where it's usually free of noise and distractions.

But when a group of visitors arrived, he couldn’t resist breaking his focus for a chat with one of them.

Legendary Black Cap spinner Ajaz Patel was being shown around the new rec centre, prompting Rudra to whisper, “Is that Ajaz?!”

It was, and he was accompanied by two up-and-coming New Zealand cricketers, White Fern Bree Illing and NZ A cricketer Adithya (Adi) Ashok, both students at the University and part of its High Performance Support Programme.

Fast bowler Rudra was keen to discuss the game and his back injury with Ajaz; and Ajaz was happy to give him some tips on getting it sorted. Then there was a quick photo and the cricketers continued their tour, led through all levels of the gym by Sean Smith, associate director Sport and Recreation, and Toby Batchelor, performance sport team leader.

Adi, 22, who has played two ODIs and one T20 for the Black Caps, has himself recently returned to cricket after ‘a pretty hefty injury’ leading to a spinal operation in 2024. While it was a disappointing time cricket-wise, it did provide academic opportunities.

“I'm about two years into a very part-time Exercise Science degree. So, when I had the spinal operation, it was a cool opportunity for me to really knuckle down more with my study. I got a good chunk done during the period I was injured, and had a lot of support, which was really comforting.”

Students who are part of the University’s High Performance Support Programme are provided flexibility for their study and exams if they are, for example, on tour with a representative side, as Adi will be in May, touring with the NZ A cricket side in Bangladesh.

For young cricketers Adi and Bree, it was their first time looking around the new gym, and having a test cricket legend in Ajaz Patel beside them for the tour was special.

Suddenly, the already vast sport and recreation opportunities offered by Hiwa had a few more ideas thrown into the mix.

“You could play a great game of indoor cricket up here, outdoors,” said Ajaz, after spotting the netting around the outside of the rooftop tennis court which stops the balls flying over the side.

In Sports Hall 2, if you look up, you’ll see a mesh of nets drawn up to the roof. When these are lowered and a drop-in turf is rolled out, there’s an instant indoor cricket pitch.

“Tape ball would be even better,” suggests Ajaz, referring to a type of cricket in Pakistan and India using a tennis ball wrapped tightly in electrical tape. “Less chance of damage.”

You can see Toby’s mind ticking over at the possibilities…

Left-arm medium-fast bowler Bree likes nothing more than to inflict a bit of damage, as she did during the recent Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand. In her first ODI for New Zealand, the 21-year-old, who was named Auckland Cricket’s young cricketer of the year this season, took two wickets, including that of the 250-match veteran and captain Chamari Athapaththu. Sadly, the match was washed out.

Bree had heard about the University’s High Performance Support Programme while she was at school and was happy to learn she fulfilled the criteria to be part of it.

“I liked that I got access to the [old] gym, and I used that when I had big breaks. I'd go into the gym and do my session and then walk back up to class. But this gym is amazing!"

As well as the gym, the High Performance Support Programme helps students with flexible study and alternative exams, which has worked well for Bree, who is graduating with a double major in Exercise Science and Biology this May. As she is planning postgraduate study, she will still get a chance to use Hiwa.

Ajaz’s biggest connection with the University of Auckland, until now, was while he was a student at AUT.

“We used to make a special trip to go to Munchy Mart,” he laughs.

But now, he will be sure to let his contacts in cricket know about the incredible facility at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Both Toby and Sean say that with long periods of summer having low use, because students tend to go home for the summer break, there’s a good opportunity for athletes to make use of Hiwa as members of the public.

“We have always envisaged this place to be somewhere for the public, as well as staff, students and alumni to be able to use.," says Sean. "That’s one of the reasons we are connecting with Auckland athletes and sports teams, to show them what’s here.”

“The facility is unreal,” says Ajaz. “More people should definitely make use of it.”