Black Caps quick helps save burning pub

Black Caps fast bowler Seth Rance is known for delivering fire on the pitch, but off it fire is his enemy as station officer for his local volunteer fire brigade.

On Saturday Rance scored 16 and bowed four tight overs for 21 runs for Central Districts in New Zealand's domestic 50-over final, a match they lost to Auckland.

Come Monday, Rance was on a different type of red alert, trading his black cap for a red fire helmet to help save an historic New Zealand landmark in his home town.

When the roof of iconic local pub the White Swan caught fire on Monday afternoon, Rance and the Greytown Volunteer Fire Brigade were quickly on the scene.

The 30-year-old, who was part of New Zealand's squad for the T20 trans-Tasman tri-series won by Australia, was leading the firefighting team that saved the landmark watering hole from destruction.

"The origin of the fire was in the southern end of the building," Rance told reporters on the scene Monday afternoon. "There's a little bit of structural and water damage but it appears to have been caught in time.

"It's fortunate we got the call nice and early."

Rance made his international T20 debut in late December for the Black Caps, and played two matches against the West Indies and another two against Pakistan.

He made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Ireland last May, and played a second match against Bangladesh three days later, also in Dublin.

Rance was omitted from New Zealand's ODI squad for the ongoing series against England.