New Zealand quick Trent Boult & wife Gert expecting first child this year

New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult on Sunday, July 29, announced on Instagram that he and his wife Gert Smith were expecting their first child later this year. Boult, who turned 29 a week ago, got married to Smith in August last year. He also posted a picture of him with his partner and wrote: “Can’t wait to meet the newest member of our family later this year!”

The left-arm fast medium bowler was the leading wicket-taker during the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and also made his mark in the Indian Premier League over the seasons. He is the sixth highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in Tests (215 scalps in 54 matches) and fifth highest in the T20Is (37 wickets in 25 games). In the ODI format, he has 122 wickets in 66 matches. His partnership with opening bowler Tim Southee is often seen to be an effective one.

Among the leading left-handed bowlers in Test cricket, Boult is the fifth-most successful after Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (414); Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas (355); Australia’s Mitchell Johnson (313) and India’s Zaheer Khan (311).

Boult was picked for the Kiwis’ national side for the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates between October and December this year and although he was okay with the Test and ODI itinerary, he informed the selectors that he will be on a “paternity leave” during the three-match T20I series prior to those, Cricket Country said, citing a report on Newshub.

Boult requests for paternity leave

The Black Caps had picked Boult for a full tour of UAE against Pakistan. However, despite agreeing to feature in the Tests and ODIs, Boult had informed the selectors that he will be on “paternity leave” during the T20 Internationals prior to that, according to a report on Newshub, New Zealand.

For Boult, 2018 has turned out to be an exciting year. He had his career-best Test bowling figure of 6 for 32 against England at home earlier this year and went on to win the player of the series award after the Kiwis won 2-0.

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