Cricket: Dad sees benefit of tourney

Tim Pringle checks a shot in Western Bay of Plenty's win over Napier at Taradale Park, Napier, on Monday as wicketkeeper Brayden Hill anticipates a catch. Photo / Paul Taylor

His former Black Cap father was a strike bowler but Timothy Pringle is carving a career as a batsman.

The 12-year-old, who has been through the Ben Williams Cricket Academy in Tauranga since he was 7, is a member of the West Bay of Plenty representative team competing in the inaugural North Island Year 7-8 Cricket Tournament in Napier this week.

"These types of tournaments are ideal - one for development and, I suppose, one for better cricketers," says ex-international Chris Pringle while watching his son field at Taradale Park on Monday.

Pringle suspects Hawke's Bay Cricket Association CEO Craig Findlay's formula in both events has the propensity to work.

"You might see some of the development kids playing first-class in future and the talented ones from the trophy tournaments drop out to go surfing so it's a tricky one."

Ironically the 46-year-old real estate agent, who lives in Tauranga with Dutch wife Janine and daughter Caitlin, 10, grew up in Australia from 2-14 and didn't make an age-group team until the under-20s in Auckland.

When he came to New Zealand he was virtually an unknown.

"I was just a tall gangly boy with an Australian accent so it took me a while to get into first grade [cricket] in school," says Pringle who went to indoor cricket at 16.

"I sort of got conned into coming down to Takapuna premier team and started getting wickets so the rest is history."

In his semi-professional era, Pringle felt it was better to "slip through the nets".

"I used to catch people by surprise because they didn't know much about you," he said.

With the era of professionalism now, where people such as AB de Villiers score the fastest century in 31 balls (this week), it's imperative youngsters who aspire to higher honours start playing in age-group tournaments.

Consequently he has no qualms about supporting Timothy to realise his potential.

"He has worked really hard in his technique and likes to play the ball late, under his eyes," he says of the youngster who doesn't just like to survive but carve up runs.

The right-hander, though, bowls left-handed.

"He swings the ball and bowls at a reasonable pace. He lives and breathes cricket and it is everything to him."

Timothy often opens bowling or drops to first change, making the most of his parents' desirable lanky genes.

"He's got a natural bowling talent so I'm loath to let coaches play around with his action."

Pringle says the family is happy in Tauranga where the climate appeals, the children are happy at school and the real estate market is booming.

The Western BOP beat Napier on Monday but Hastings overwhelmed Horowhenua-Kapiti.

North City beat Eastern District Cricket Association (Poverty Bay) while Midlands, thanks to Max Griffith's 150 runs, saw to Cornwall's (Auckland) demise.

No 5 Griffith made his ton off 103 balls, including 19 fours, forging a partnership of 100 runs with opener Peter Kapene and the second one was worth 131 runs with No 6 Ash Towers.

"That's his first 100 and his next best score was 64 not out," says coach Glenn Rumble of Griffith who scored his 150th run off the last ball of the 45-over game to set the target.

Howick Pakuranga and Tauranga tied.