And they say T20 is a young man’s game

The Wellington Firebirds squad has been named for the next round of the McDonalds Super Smash, and is highlighted by the return of cult hero Grant Elliott, and the introduction of Melbourne Stars player Evan Gulbis.

With the addition of Elliott there is now a quartet of 37 year old players in the squad.  A third of them are 37.

Ordered by age, here is the Firebirds XII.

Brent Arnel	37 years	345 days
Hamish Marshall	37 years	302 days
Grant Elliott	37 years	267 days
Michael Papps	37 years	164 days
Jeetan Patel	36 years	220 days
Luke Ronchi	35 years	234 days
Luke Woodcock	34 years	269 days
Steve Murdoch	33 years	129 days
Jade Dernbach	30 years	254 days
Evan Gulbis	30 years	262 days
Michael Pollard	27 years	41 days
Matt Taylor	24 years	299 days

The average of this squad is 33 years and 263 days.

Were it not for Matt Taylor, hardly a spring chicken, the average would be a year higher.  And there is a reasonable chance he will be 12^th man.  It is unlikely there has ever been an older team at First Class level

Luke Woodcock, 34 years and 269 days, is in the younger half of the squad.

Even the two overseas signings are 30.

In contrast Otago, with experienced players like Kitchen and Broom, has a squad average of 25 ½ years.  Northern Districts, whose overseas players are older than Wellington’s, have a team average of 24 ½.

There is no reason why Wellington has this statistical outlier, other than a bowling coach who likes to play and Hamish Marshall finding a new home for his well-travelled career.  If only James Franklin would return home.