FORMER Monmouthshire club player Cole McConchie held a superb catch on the boundary for New Zealand in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, coming on as a substitute fielder and running 18 metres to clutch the ball and dismiss Sanju Samson for 89.

But having taken two wickets of left-handed batters in two balls in the semi-final win over South Africa, New Zealand may well regret not selecting the one-time Monmouth CC player in the starting XI for the final after suffering a 96-run defeat.

Replacing him with extra seamer Jacob Duffy, they played without a specialist off-spinner, despite India having five left-handed batsmen in their line up.

The host nation then racked up 255-5 off their 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma firing a record 18-ball half-century having struggled previously in the tournament against off spin.

Duffy was carted for 42 without a wicket off his three overs, before McConchie’s catch from Jimmy Neesham’s thigh-high full toss led to a three-wicket burst as New Zealand fought back to put something of a brake on India’s charge.

However, the Kiwis lost early wickets in reply and were dismissed for 159 with an over to play.

McConchie played for Monmouth CC in 2010, with club stalwart Jon Despontin responsible for signing him, through cricket agent Steven Hirst, for the club’s Worcestershire County League Division Two campaign.

Despontin said: “It was incredible watching the World Cup final on television and seeing Cole racing around the outfield in front of more than 100,000 Indian fans.

“Ultimately, it wasn’t the outcome we had all hoped for at Monmouth and Cole finished with a runners-up medal, but he had an impactful tournament with key performances against Sri Lanka and South Africa.”

A packed Ahmedabad was certainly a far cry from when McConchie made his home debut for Monmouth in a six-wicket win against Rushwick at the Sports Ground in May 2010, a league match in which skipper Paul Swingwood hit an unbeaten century.

Ian Morgan, Monmouth’s longest-serving player and the club vice-chairman in 2010, recalled: “Jon sealing Cole’s signature was a great coup for us; such a great person and a tremendous role model for our young players.

“After Cole arrived in Monmouth, we had a gathering in the pavilion when Cole spoke about mindset in batting; at 18 years old he was already ahead of his years.

“We’re so proud of Cole’s achievements and his recognition on the world stage shows that hard work and commitment pays off. He is fondly remembered by all his friends at the club.”

Cole only joined the NZ squad half way through the World Cup as a replacement for the injured Michael Bracewell and was almost immediately drafted into the playing XI.

He began with 3-0-34-0 against Canada, and then against Sri Lanka, he made 31 not out in 23 balls, including two sixes, to help lift New Zealand from 84-6 to 168-7 before conceding only 20 in his three overs.

And he also had a brief yet extremely impactful role to play in the semi-final against South Africa.

Opening the bowling with his off-breaks, he took out the left-handed pair of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton with consecutive balls in his sole over, as New Zealand restricted South Africa to 169-8 and won inside 13 overs.