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| Brendan
Popplewell
New Zealand Full name: Brendan Popplewell Nickname: Pop Home Town: Waipukurau, Hawkes Bay, NZ Current age: 26 Major teams: TAB Batting style: Right-hand bat Bowling style: Right-arm medium, Right-arm orthodox off-spin Cricketing Hero: Willie Watson, Murphy Su'a and Abdul Qadir Song that fires him up: Highway to the Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins |
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 Of Western Samoan parents, left-arm fast-medium bowler Murphy Su'a's career came alive after two mediocre seasons with Northern Districts when he moved to Auckland. In his first season (1990-91) he grabbed 28 wickets in nine matches, winning his Test call-up against England the following summer when he took eight wickets in two games. That was followed by successful tours to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, and a Test-best 5 for 73 against Pakistan at Hamilton in January 1993. But thereafter he struggled, taking 5 for 434 in four Tests against Australia, and drifted out of the reckoning. His cause was not helped by mood swings and clashes with some senior members of the side. This bares little relationship to the career of Brendan Popplewell; a right-arm bowler capable of unleashing little off-spinners or furious medium pacers who's not ever played for Northern Districts or Auckland, though he does have a cricket coffin with his name on it! Brendan currently holds the coveted position of team captain; surprising stunned opposition teams with daring tactics and setting the standard for the rest of the team to follow with both bat, ball and in the field. Andrew Newman August 2007 |