Tama returned to Accrington in 2005 after helping Auckland to the State Championship in New Zealand. In the final against Wellington at Eden Park's Outer Oval, Tama hit 106, his second century of the season, and he took 2 wickets. In all State Championship matches he hit 342 runs at 42.7 and he took 27 wickets at 23.8, including a career best 6-44 against Northern Districts. He then hit 115, which was another career best, as his side won by an innings and 89 runs in Hamilton to move to the top of the State Championship in December.
On his return to Accrington in 2005 Tama was a pale shadow of the player who had won eight matches off his own bat the previous season. He came late due to domestic commitments and when he arrived he brought with him a knee injury which would cause him to miss just two matches, but he was far from fit for some time into the season.
Tama's statistics tell a sad tale. His 534 runs at 24.3 left only Haslingden's Pasan Wanasinghe behind him in the averages. His 43 wickets at 29.2 were by far the most expensive of any professional with just one five wicket haul to show in a total of 376.2 overs. So it was hardly surprising that the team fared so badly.
Tama Canning returned to Accrington in 2004 as a cricketer who had matured into a top class performer at State level which has in turn led to International honours.
In his second full term at the club he was a revelation turning in no fewer then eight match winning performances as Accrington climbed the table to 11th after winning nine matches their best since 2000. In league matches Tama hit 931 runs at 66.5 with five half centuries and three unbeaten centuries and he also took 56 wickets with a best of 6-45 in the win at Enfield. It was Tama's batting exploits that made the league sit up and take notice with match winning innings a regular feature of his play - 73 not out against Colne, 80 not out at Burnley, 101 not out against Rawtenstall, 79 at Todmorden, 122 not out at Rishton, 70 not out against Nelson and finally a massive unbeaten 151 at Colne before he left to join the New Zealand A tour of South Africa. Accrington offered Tama terms to return in 2005.
In April 2003, Tama was named Auckland's cricketer of the year after superb season of match-winning performances for his State. Tama finished as the leading wicket taker with 46 victims at 22.0 which was a record for Auckland, beating John Bracewell's 43 in 1986/87. Tama also hit his maiden First-class century - 113 against Canterbury, and averaged 37.6 with a total of 451 runs.
These performances earned the all rounder a place in the New Zealand Super Max side and a trip to Pakistan during the winter when he made his One Day International debut. To date Tama has played in three ODI's. In First-class matches he has 1329 runs at 25.1 and taken 143 wickets at 23.6.
When Nathan Astle became unavailable to return to Accrington for the 2001 season, the club had no hesitation in signing Tama Canning to replace him. Tama had made a big impression in his short time at Accrington at the end of 2000, scoring 265 runs at 53, including 98 at Enfield, and taking 21 wickets at 16.5. So impressive was Tama, that several other clubs were also chasing his signature. Accrington had hoped for great things from the New Zealander after his performances as a stand-in for Nathan Astle in 2000, but although he scored over 900 runs, he only took 53 wickets as Accrington finished at the bottom of the league. Tama acted as sub professional for Read in the Ribblesdale League at the start of the season, scoring 119 not out and taking 2-30 against Blackburn Northern.
A native of Adelaide, South Australia, Tama played for Western Australia before moving to New Zealand to play for Auckland. The right handed batsman and right arm fast medium bowler scored 244 runs at an average of 22.2 and took 27 wickets at 21.7 each in the Shell Trophy in the 2000 - 1 season. In the one day Shell Cup, he scored 210 runs at 35, with a highest score of 92 not out and he also took 17 wickets at 13 each.