Guptill and Adams hit form straight away

Friday, 4 May 2012

It's the time of the year where much of the talk about cricket revolves around highlights packages and the what-if's of the season just gone. But two Aces players are already a month into another season of cricket in England and both Martin Guptill and Andre Adams have got off to impressive starts in County Cricket.

Guptill continued his good form from the domestic season in New Zealand by hitting a first up century for Derbyshire in their game against Northamptonshire. His 131 came off 198 balls and helped Derbyshire to a convincing 202 run win.

He followed that up with an unbeaten 67 in his side's rain affected game against Leicestershire but it is his Aces team-mate Adams that is currently catching the eye on the County circuit.

Adams has just picked up career best figures of 7/32 playing for Nottinghamshire against Lancashire as he helped to engineer a remarkable collapse by the home side, losing their last six wickets for just 15 runs and giving Notts an unlikely 23 run first innings lead after posting just 169.

Adams has been in scintillating form for Notts, having already collected 25 wickets half way through just his fourth game of the season. That kind of form is probably why he has two years still to play on his contract at Nottinghamshire at the age of 36, and why the Aces have been so keen to have him for the last two seasons.

As usual Adams was honest and to the point in explaining his form to CricInfo.com, and why he has no desire to try and force his way back into the Blackcaps.

"I shut the door on international cricket when I came to Nottinghamshire as a Kolpak and to be honest my last few games for New Zealand were not an enjoyable experience," he said. "I wouldn't want to go back."

"When I was in New Zealand I was always fighting for a place and in those circumstances you sometimes forget about getting better as a cricketer. At Nottinghamshire I have been able to work in an honest environment, where I'm responsible for what I do and I'm not fighting for my place. To be here enjoying my cricket is a big deal for me.

"I know what I have to do, which is essentially to be as annoying as I can be with the ball, by which I mean trying to put the ball in the right place as often as possible. "

Adams and Guptill's good start to the English are great news for them and their followers, and Aces fans will be hoping that their rich vein of form continues right through to the Champions League in August/September.