Phil and Lendl Simmons' family rivalry was not the only one at the Ireland versus West Indies game at the Saxton Oval in Nelson earlier this week.

Gary Bell, the Team Liason Officer for Ireland, was in direct competition with his son Matthew, who was fulflling the same role with the West Indies.

57-year old Bell has impressed the Irish squad with his quiet, diligent, and efficient manner, quickly turning all problems into solutions.

Coming from a farming background in New Zealand, he spent 17 years as a PE teacher after graduating from Otago University.

He also served as Event Manager for the Northland Regional Sports Trust, and spent seven years as CEO for Northland Cricket Association in Whangarei - covering all the regions above Auckland.

A more than useful cricketer himself, Bell represented New Zealand Secondary Schools in Australia, where his team mates includes Black Caps Test players Bruce Edgar and Jeff Crowe.

As a Level Two coach, he helped develop the careers of seven first class cricketers, three of whom won international recognition - James and Hamish Marshall, as well as his son Matthew.

37 year-old Matthew played in 18 Tests for the Black Caps, scoring two centuries against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

His finest and the proudest moment for both he and his father came in 1999, when he hit the winning runs against England at Lords - still the only ever victory at the Home of Cricket by New Zealand. Led by Stephen Fleming, the Black Caps enjoyed a 3-1 series triumph.

Despite retiring in 2010, Matthew remains the top scorer for Wellington.

He's still very much involved in the game though, where he currently coaches in Wellington and is assistant coach of the White Ferns - the New Zealand Women's highly successful cricket team.