Wilson takes first cricket steps with Otago

Practise and training, training and practise - that's the recipe for Jeff Wilson over the next six months as he prepares to resume his cricketing career.

Wilson retired last week from all rugby having played 60 test matches for New Zealand and 230 first-class games. He is the leading try scorer in tests for the All Blacks with 44 and touched down 151 times during his decade in the game.

Now with a view to playing cricket again at the highest level, Wilson has discussed a winter training regime with State Otago Volts coach Glenn Turner and has already enjoyed an informal practise session at Otago Cricket's high performance centre in Dunedin.

Turner said working with Wilson will be an interesting exercise.

"I'm looking forward to learning how rugby operates in areas of commonality and what might be useful for us to incorporate into our work," he said, clearly referring to attitude and professionalism.

Otago Cricket's chief executive Graeme Elliott also met Wilson this week where he was able to discuss what requirements the former One-Day International player had for the winter. Elliott reinforced Otago Cricket's delight in having a player of Wilson's calibre again available to the association's selectors.

"Jeff is exceptionally keen to be involved," Elliott said.

"It will be a tough process for him, getting his body into cricket shape again after so long away from the game. But it's a challenge he's set himself and Glenn and he have already confirmed a schedule.

"We've told Jeff we will do everything we can to ensure his return to the game is as smooth as possible and I know New Zealand Cricket feels the same way," he said.

Wilson represented New Zealand as a 19-year-old in the home one-day series against Australia in the 1992/93 season, several months before his All Black debut. He is the only one of the seven 'double' All Blacks to have achieved that feat while a teenager.