Junior colts to give it a whack

ATTACKING CRICKET: Nic Hendrie says young cricketers are prepared to take more risks in a 15-over competition. File picture by Paul Rickard

Just like in the Big Bash League or the IPL, young cricketers will don coloured clothing and return to the field next week to give the ball a good whack.

The junior colts competition for Year 9 and 10 students resumes on Wednesday and Poverty Bay Cricket Association operations manager Nic Hendrie said the T15 competition had generated exciting cricket.

“There have been some seriously nail-biting games; most games go down to the last over,” he said.

“We’ve had hat-tricks. We’ve had kids getting 50 off 20 to 25 balls after coming back from retiring on 30.”

Instead of being terrified of losing their wicket, batsmen are having a go.

“Kids have got that fear of getting out,” Hendrie said.

But, for them, it’s nine a side, so there are gaps in the field and the youngsters are more willing to take risks.

“It’s been good to see that kind of cricket.”

The competition is modelled on the Indian Premier League and its franchises.

In the Poverty Bay version, junior teams are paired with senior teams and, for the senior competition, there was a player auction.

The adults — playing on Friday nights — also enjoyed the format, Hendrie said.

Hendrie, himself, has been in hot form in T15 and T20 cricket, scoring 87 not out and then two consecutive unbeaten tons.

The 26-year-old is part of the Northern Districts A squad and hopes to have a crack at first-class cricket for the Knights.

“See ball, hit ball” has been working well for him lately.

Batsmen also need to produce some patient knocks in a longer form of the game this weekend.

In senior cricket, clubs are competing for the DJ Barry Cup. Games last up to 80 overs and are designed to mimic the last day of a test. The team batting first need to declare their innings closed by the end of the 45th over and then bowl the other side out to win outright.

Pirates and Gisborne Boys’ High School will make their return on Saturday after a break that was extended by the Boys’ High default last weekend. Boys’ High will play Bain Construction OBR and Pirates will play Bollywood Stars High School Old Boys.

Hendrie said one reason for starting up the colts competition this season was to give young players a better pathway to higher grades.

The senior T15 competition, for the Walker Shield, also allowed clubmates to play against each other.

Hendrie said there would be tweaks next season as there was to-ing and fro-ing this season when some teams overspent their “budget” in the player auction.

He’s hoping to get the Colts games on grass wickets so the young players don’t have to contend with so much bounce from artificial pitches.