Wellington, Nov 6: New Zealand fast bowler Blair Tickner has found a fresh perspective on life and cricket after witnessing his wife Sarah’s difficult battle with leukaemia, a journey that has taught him to value family, happiness, and the opportunity to play the game without being consumed by performance pressure.
Tickner’s personal life took a challenging turn in April 2024 when Sarah was diagnosed with leukaemia. She subsequently underwent eight months of cancer treatment before being discharged from hospital on Christmas Eve that year. She has remained in remission since, bringing much-needed relief to the family.
The 33-year-old pacer, who is currently part of New Zealand’s ODI squad for the home series against India, admitted that the experience changed his outlook towards cricket and helped him rediscover himself as a player.
Speaking ahead of the second ODI against India in Wellington, Tickner reflected on the different phases of his career, explaining how the pressure he once felt has gradually given way to a more relaxed approach.
“My life, I guess it’s been up and down,” Tickner said. “It’s amazing to have Sarah and my family [get] through it all, and I guess now I’m just trying to enjoy my cricket and I’ve probably been a bit more myself.”
He recalled how the beginning of his international career was dominated by expectations and pressure before his wife’s illness brought a much bigger challenge into his life.
“I’ve had different parts of my career. I guess [at the] start of my career, I felt a lot of pressure. Then we had Sarah’s cancer treatment; it was hard, and now I’m sort of at the back end, and I’m looking forward to just having fun, really, and it’s what I’m trying to do, to [be] myself really,” he added.
Family Comes Before Cricket
The difficult period helped Tickner understand that professional cricket, despite being an important part of his identity, is not the most significant thing in his life.
The New Zealand bowler, who also has a daughter, said returning home to his family gives him a sense of happiness and fulfilment that goes beyond his performances on the field.
“I try to play with a smile on my face, and it’s a lot more than cricket, obviously,” he said. “It’s done a lot for me, but I know that at the end of the day I’m going to go home to my daughter and my wife and I’m pretty happy and pretty lucky to do that. So yeah, cricket’s a little bit less than that.”
Tickner made his international debut in T20 cricket in 2019 before earning opportunities in the ODI and Test formats in 2022 and 2023 respectively. However, his journey has not always been straightforward, with personal difficulties coming alongside the demands of international cricket.
Despite the emotional challenges, he has continued to contribute whenever given an opportunity.
In the opening ODI against India in Auckland, which the visitors won by five wickets in a rain-affected contest, Tickner provided one of New Zealand’s few bright moments with the bat. Coming in at No. 11, he smashed 34 runs off just 23 deliveries and shared a valuable 41-run partnership with Jacob Duffy for the final wicket.
The unexpected batting contribution prompted Tickner to jokingly suggest that he deserved a promotion in the batting order.
“Yeah, there were a few conversations before I went out, because I batted alright against England last time I was here [in Wellington], so I gave him [Duffy] a bit of [stick] for that. I’m happy to move up to 10 – I just have to slowly make my way up to No. 3, I think,” he joked.
Tickner was referring to New Zealand’s previous ODI against England in Wellington, where he delivered an impressive all-round performance. He claimed four wickets and scored an unbeaten 18 to earn Player of the Match honours in a closely contested two-wicket victory.
‘Wellington Surface Will Offer Assistance to Pacers’: Tickner
Looking ahead to Saturday’s second ODI, Tickner expressed hope that the Wellington surface would offer similar assistance to fast bowlers. He observed that the ODI pitches had provided greater movement and bounce than those used during the preceding T20I series.
For Tickner, however, the immediate focus extends beyond wickets, results and individual performances. Having experienced the uncertainty of life away from cricket, he is embracing the opportunity to play with a smile, enjoy every moment and return home to what matters most.
