Daniel Vettori Spin Doctor

Supplied by Third Age New Zealand magazine for GrownUps

Mamma mia, a cricketer called Daniel Luca Vettori? Italian genes have produced great soccer players, cyclists, racing-car drivers ­ opera singers, certainly ­ but cricketers? Renzo Vettori laughs. His son′s prodigious talent with ball and bat, it seems, owes more to a Kiwi schooling and his father′s love of sport than to any Roman ancestry. If there is sporting heritage in the family it′s probably on Dan′s mother Robyn′s side ­ the likes of Olympic swimmer Glenda Stirling and rugby league legend Ken Stirling. Robyn herself denies any sporting prowess. "I was a competitive dancer from a very young age," she says, "but that′s not considered a sport in this family!" Renzo′s parents came to New Zealand from the north Italian mountain village of Roncone when he was six and today only his name marks him as anything but a dyed-in-the-wool Kiwi. He even works for a dairy company. Robyn, New Zealand-born, is a paediatric nurse at Waikato Hospital.

The Vettori name, though, has certainly established itself in the New Zealand cricket lexicon since Renzo and Robyn′s second son became this country′s youngest-ever test player in 1997 at the age of 18. The brilliant left-arm spin bowler who turned 27 in January now has 200 test and 100 one-day international caps to his credit. His inclusion in last year′s World XI which played Australia marked him as one of the world game′s top players. He captained the Black Caps in Bangladesh and took on the role for the first time in New Zealand against Australia last December. He′s the Black Caps′ third-highest all-time test wicket-taker and was New Zealand Cricket′s Player of the Year for 2005. He′s no slouch with the bat, either.

Daniel isn′t fond of the limelight and nor are his parents, but his fame ­ and name ­ make it hard for them to avoid. "We′ve tried very hard [for Dan′s celebrity] not to affect us," Robyn says, "but with an unusual name like Vettori you′re always asked, ′are you related to Daniel?′ We joke about the fact that we′re Daniel′s mum and dad instead of Renzo and Robyn. If our name had been Smith it wouldn′t have been as bad."

Says Renzo: "I don′t think from Robyn and my point of view it′s changed us much. I mean, some people will possibly talk to you because of who your son is when maybe they wouldn′t have otherwise, but that doesn′t really worry us." Daniel′s sporting talents became apparent early. Like his brother Nicholas ­ now 29 ­ he played soccer in winter and cricket in summer. Renzo encouraged the boys and their sister Kimberly (now 24) to play sport and neither parent baulked at ferrying them around. "I enjoyed being with them," Renzo says, "and I love my sport, anyhow, so that helps." Renzo still supports his son by looking after his financial affairs.

Robyn was reminded of those Saturday sports duties recently when she chauffeured Dan for a net practice at Hamilton′s Westpac Park. "When I picked him up again he said to me, ′Oh I feel like I′m 12 again Mum, you′re picking me up from the cricket!′. "I′ve always tried not to be a pushy parent," Robyn says after a moment. "I hope it′s been very balanced ­ a non-competitive mother and a competitive father." She admits, though, to having qualms when Dan was first picked for the Black Caps at 18. "I said, ′Oh what a shame, he′s so young.′ I was excited, of course, but I just wanted him to do all the normal things ­ go off to university and live a normal life flatting with his mates, that kind of thing. I don′t know, it′s just a motherly thing."

Renzo and Robyn live alone these days. Nicholas is in Taupo where he′s part-owner of a bar, Kimberly works in PR in Sydney and Daniel owns a house down the road from his parents. Renzo′s mother also lives nearby. "We call it the Vettori Triangle," says Renzo with a laugh. Dan doesn′t bring his washing home, says Robyn, "but he often seems to appear around dinnertime ­ either here or at his grandmother′s. She′s a bit better cook than me, being Italian ... It′s very nice, very Italian really, all living so close to each other." For the international cricketer, his home base is hugely important. "That′s one thing he does enjoy," Renzo says, "coming back to Hamilton, because he′s with his mates." For the first time in quite a long time the Vettoris had Christmas Day together last year. "It was lovely, very special," Robyn says. The family are close; Dan′s sporting success doesn′t seem to have damaged his relationship with his siblings. "The good thing that we see with our children is that they get on very well," says Renzo. "And I think [Nick and Kimberly] sometimes keep Daniel′s feet on the ground." Not that Daniel Vettori seems to need much grounding. "He′s pretty laid-back, old Dan," Robyn says. "I think he probably keeps us on an even keel. We′re very proud of Dan, as we are of all the kids. But we′re probably more proud that he′s stayed a really nice young man. That′s important to me."

Author details: Patrick J Smith Freelance Writer, 09 630 1197

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