Jobs for the boys

Dress - Nathan Astle

The neatest, tidiest, best grooms and snappiest dresser in the team had tog et this job. Attempted to stamp his authority, but there was a feeling in the team that poor old Nath was undermined by the old war-horse, DJ Graham. I'm sorry DJ, but the brown checked shirt with the brown No 2 trousers you insisted on for our travel from Edinburgh to London did not hand well on fit young sportsmen (that includes me, by the way). And Nath, you were far too soft with DJ. A prime source of fine money for the social committee, a couple of exampls including Bully being caught us the gym wearing non-CCC branded socks, and (you'll lik this one) Stumper going to meet the Queens in two-toned brown boat shoes when our No 1 shoes are black leather. Maybe it's an Australian thing. Their fashion sence has never been crash hot.

Meet the cast

This just wasn't Nath's World Cup. The seaming wickets undid him early on and then, as the wickets dried out, he was just too deep into that horrible downward spiral we all experience at some stage. We all had the same thought - 'form is temporary, class is permanent' - and we were all waiting for the day when he would explode into action. Through the Super Six period he started whacking it really well in the nets, but it just didn't happen in the middle. Nothing really fazes Nath - that's one of his great attributes - andot was great that he kept his chin up and trained hard. His lady arrived through the Super Six and his smile was huge then. Nath's got a great one-day record for New Zealand, and I know this tournament will be only a small setback for him.

Nath's a perfectionist, one of the neatest and most organised cricketers around. Well groomed. His gear us also exempary, and to top it off, he doesn't sweat. Saw him got a hundred in 35 degrees in India an dthere wasn't a bead on him. If that was me I'd have lost 5kg.

Enjoys: Table talk at euchre, looking smart, tidy gear.