24 Mar 2022If you’ve ever visited Whangarei’s Cobham Oval during cricket season, chances are you’ve met Chuck Norris. Yes, that is his real name. Chuck has been working with Northland cricket for over 30 years. His father was the Northland Team Manager before him, but when he sadly passed away, Chuck stepped into the role.
“I actually started in 1989 as the [Northland] team manager and then in 94/95 I was the Northern Districts team manager for one season. And we won the Shell Cup that year so that was great. And around that time I started doing the liaison work as well.”
He experiences great enjoyment from meeting and working with some amazing people from not only across New Zealand, but also the world.
“I love doing what I do, and I do it for the love of cricket and all the wonderful people I meet.”
On the West Indies tour of New Zealand during the 2017/18, Chris Gayle the “Universe Boss” struck up an unlikely friendship with Chuck.
“For some reason he [Chris Gayle] took a shine to me and we chatted a few times sitting down talking about this and that. And during the game, the one-day game, they played here a few years ago he spotted me across the dressing room, and he said to me “Hey Chuck Norris.” He said, “you gotta tell that other fella that’s been using your name that he shouldn’t do that because you are the best Chuck Norris, you are the man!”’
While it may be his most iconic interaction, it was not his first time working with an international touring side. England played three T20 warmup match against the New Zealand XI in 2013.
And when domestic T20 cricket returned to the picturesque venue for the first time in six years this summer, Chuck was on site and ready to help out wherever he was needed.
