Cricket: Camp spins dosh but net worth priceless

SMILE BEFORE STORM: Craig Findlay's face says it all before 90 children's teams from outside Hawke's Bay converge here for the annual Riverbend Cricket Camp from today. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

THE word is the children's annual pilgrimage to cricket during the Riverbend Camp in Hawke's Bay brings in more than $4 million to the province.

But what cannot be put in fiscal terms is the worthiness of a tournament that helps shape the future of countless youngsters who are destined to become first-class players or even Black Caps a decade or so after their christening here.

Hawke's Bay Cricket CEO Craig Findlay didn't have an inkling into what the turnover was from the Riverbend Bible Church-hosted camp based on the outskirts of Hastings until Sport Hawke's Bay conducted a feasibility study into the economic benefits of sport several years ago.

"Sean [Bevin] met me and got some figures off me of numbers coming to camp on average nights so he used some sort of formula he had, I suppose, to get a figure out of close to four million four years ago," he says of the financial consultant.

However, for Findlay all those monetary matters didn't surface until then because the intangible benefits of what the children received on and off the cricket paddocks were what mattered most.

"Before that there was the likes of the Ross Taylors and the Jacob Orams who were here and going on to become Black Caps," he says, pointing out former Napier Boys' High School pupil Shayne O'Connor, now living in Central Otago, also carved a niche here before representing New Zealand internationally and bringing his son back to the camp last summer.

That global ascendancy wasn't confined to New Zealand because this week Ben Stokes created history for England against South Africa in their second test match in Cape Town on Monday.

"Ben Stokes played here as an 11-year-old, before I took over from Ray Mettrick, and then they [Stokes family] decided to move to England and we saw what Ben did the other night," Findlay said of the 24-year-old all-rounder clubbed 258 from 198 balls to rewrite England history books.

Jamie How, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Peter McGlashan, Doug Bracewell and Kane Williamson, to name a few, are among the elite who have been part of the breeding ground for several first-class and international cricketers.

The camp was established in 1979 under the auspices of stalwart Mettrick, of Hastings, who ended his 22-year tenure in 2001 with HBCA taking over. Findlay has been at the helm as co-ordinator all bar one year.

Off the field the youngsters also learn life skills such as socialising with total strangers and rivals as well as learning to spend a few nights away from the comfort zone of their home and parents.

The seven-grade camp places emphasis on enjoyment and participation but a large part is centred around coaching and development.

An honour's board daily acknowledges those who score 30 runs and/or take three wickets or execute three fielding dismissals.

Numbers have surged in some grades, something Findlay attributes to the ICC World Cup early last year.

For almost a decade, the year 4-5 grade were around the 10-team mark but last year that shot up to 18 and this year to 22.

The year 6 grade are up to 28 after hovering around the 22-team mark previously while the year 7-8 have always had a good representation.

Teams from North Island include Napier, Taradale, Hastings, Havelock North, Central Hawke's Bay, Dannevirke, Rotorua, Taupo, Taranaki, Manawatu, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Porirua, Upper Hutt, Wellington, Poverty Bay, Wairarapa, Onslow, Tawa, Johnsonville, Bay of Plenty and Auckland.

The girls' teams were robust for almost a decade but dwindled to two a couple of years ago although females are represented in some boys' teams and there's a Bay intermediate outfit competing in the boys' year 6 boys' grade.

"The money comes from all the families who come from out of town," says Findlay revealing some stay at camps while others check in at motels and holiday camps around the province.

"Although a lot of them are here for three or four nights for cricket they stay on for three to seven more nights to enjoy their holiday so to me that's a real big thing," he says.

The wineries, Splash Planet, National Aquarium of New Zealand and gannet estuary are among some of the key attractions.

While it's the immeasurable side of things, Findlay has been doing his rounds at myriad parks during the tourneys over the years to gauge his estimates.

From today, the 17-day tourney will host 90 out-of-town teams. He predicts a minimum of 10 families from roughly each 12-member side bring an average size of four members of a family.

He thanks the camp authorities for providing excellent revamped facilities as well as meals.

Oh ... and the weather gods for coming to the party most times.

2016 DETAILS

The breakdown of the annual Riverbend Cricket Camp to be staged in Hawke's Bay from today for the next 17 days:

Boys' year 8 development: Today to Saturday (20 teams).

Boys' year 9 & 10: Sunday, January 10 to Wednesday, January 13 (15 teams).

Boys' year 4-5: Monday, Wednesday, January 11 to Wednesday, Janauary 13 (22 teams).

Boys' year 7a: Wednesday, January 13 to Saturday, January 16 (14 teams).

Boys' year 7b: Sunday, January 17 to Wednesday, January 20 (12 teams).

Boys' year 11-13: Sunday, January 17 to Wednesday, January 20 (4 teams).

Boys' year 6: Wednesday January 20 to Saturday January 23 (28 teams).

Boys' year 8 representative: Monday January 18 to Thursday, January 21 (8 teams).

NUTSHELL

Teams: 123 in all grades.

Hawke's Bay: 31 teams (28 last year).

Wellington: 38 teams (36).

Northern Districts: 30 teams (24).

Central Districts: 14 teams (8).

Auckland: 10 teams (9).

Children: 1476 competitors.

Coaches/managers: 246 will either start or continue in their roles.

Games: 327.

Days: 17.