Simon Doull plying his trade in the Netherlands

A phone call out of the blue may yet see former New Zealand swing bowler Simon Doull on the first-class scene next summer.

Doull announced his retirement from cricket last season and seemed set for a distinctive career in the commentary box where his perceptive analysis of on-field events added to the quality of radio coverage of cricket last year.

But sitting at his Tauranga home one Wednesday night a few weeks ago, savouring his hockey team having won the first round of their competition in their Waikato league, Doull answered a phone call from the Netherlands.

The HCC club had lost newly-promoted TelstraClear Black Cap Paul Hitchcock after he sustained an injury during New Zealand's one-day series against the West Indies, had come home for treatment, and they were looking for a replacement.

Doull didn't need too much convincing and was on the plane to the Netherlands at the weekend. And while taking time to settle into his playing and coaching role in the course of his eight-week contract, he showed some improving form in his most recent game on Sunday when bowling his 10 overs and taking three wickets for 40 runs.

However, that wasn't enough to prevent his side suffering a 115-run loss to VRA.

Doull is reportedly undecided about whether he might play representative cricket again next summer but before his departure he had been thinking about his options, especially with a view to developing the batting which proved so effective in Northern Districts' match against England at Hamilton.

Among other New Zealanders playing overseas at the moment Craig Spearman has reached 582 first-class runs for Gloucestershire in the English County Championship, at an average of 36.37.

Canterbury's Peter Fulton achieved a significant bowling performance in his latest match for Lytham in the Liverpool league when taking seven for 46 against Worsley before scoring 86 not out in his side's eight wicket win.

In recent matches in the first division of the Liverpool league Neal Parlane has had scores of 103 and 76 for his Fleetwood Hesketh side while another Northern Districts player James Marshall scored 46 and took three for 24 for his Formby club against St Helens.