Women's NPL starts Sunday at Bay Oval

BIG STEP: The new NPL, starting at Bay Oval on Sunday, is a major boost for women's cricket. Photo/File

An exciting new concept in women's cricket is about to hit the Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui tomorrow with the inaugural two games in the SkyCity Hamilton Northern Premier League (NPL).

Eleven White Ferns will join many of the best emerging talent in the country to showcase their skills on two pitches at Bay Oval.

The Northern Spirit has struggled in recent times, much in part to teenage girls leaving the game in favour of other sports. A Northern Districts review resulted in a major recommendation to introduce a competition to replace the existing ND Senior Women's competition, with the NPL.

The new NPL initiative sees four (non-regional) women's teams competing across six Sundays during the season, with round one at the Bay Oval on Sunday. A draft has been instituted to ensure the talent is evenly spread through the four sides.

"Every game in the NPL will be an event in its own right." Northern Districts chief executive Peter Roach said.

"We have come up with four new team names Power, Sonic, Velocity and Galaxy, designed new uniforms and will provide quality grounds, umpires, coaches, managers and scorers.

"They will all be in place for the sole purpose to expose our players to quality competition to develop their games."

There is plenty to attract aspiring young women's players to the Bay Oval on Sunday.

A coaching clinic for school-age girls will run from 10am until 11.30am which will be led by selected NPL players. The clinic will focus on fun skills, drill and games.

Then commencing at 12pm, the two NPL matches will begin with 11 White Ferns taking part in all-action cricket.