Max Chu

Max Chu is an exciting talent from New Zealand’s Southern-most province, Otago. Born and bred in Dunedin, Max was a schoolboy star for Otago Boys High School. A classy but patient Left-handed Top Order Batsman, Max is also a confident and outstanding gloveman who made his Premier Men’s Cricket debut at just 14 years old. A regular feature in various school and provincial representative sides from a young age, Max made his first senior Men’s appearance for Otago A at just 16 years old. He played 5 matches in the 2016-17 National Provincial A Tournament, representing both Otago A and the New Zealand U18 side in the same tournament. His best performance came against a strong Canterbury A side, scoring 44* (71) after arriving at 82-7.

Having been a standout for Otago at Age group level, Max was selected to represent the New Zealand U19 side to contest the 2018 ICC U19 World Cup, which was to be held in New Zealand. His selection was no surprise really as he had been the dominant Wicket-Keeper/Batsman at the two previous National NZ Schools championships. Max would make his first-class debut for Otago the following summer in the 2018–19 Plunket Shield against a red-hot Central Districts side featuring no less than 8 current or future Blackcaps.

Highly regarded domestically, Max has been selected for New Zealand XI’s to play the visiting International sides on 4 occasions, representing the NZ XI against Sri Lanka & Bangladesh (twice) in season 2018-19 and England in 2019-20. He unfortunately only got 2 innings in these fixtures but remained not out on both occasions, with 7* (8) against Bangladesh and a fighting 33* (59) against Sri Lanka to bat the New Zealand XI into a 60-run 1st Innings lead in a match that would end up fizzling to a draw. Max made his Twenty20 debut on 14 December 2019, for Otago in the 2019–20 Super Smash.

In summer 2022, Max linked with Halstead CC in the Two Counties Championship and was outstanding. 50+ dismissals to go with with 1743 runs @ 72.63 that saw the club win the league and T20 Cup, with Max hitting back-to-back hundreds on T20 finals day before heading home.

He returned to Halstead in 2023 and picked up where he left off, banging out 1377 runs @ 76.50 in another sublime performance as the club’s overseas, leaving them with the league all but sewn up.

A keen coach, intelligent and a very confident young man, Max is seeking a return to the UK next summer to play Premier League Cricket. Max will be a great pick up for any UK club seeking a high-quality top order Batsman next summer that is a sharp Wicket-Keeper with a good cricket brain.