Cricket: Inaugural U13 event offers reps platform

Craig Findlay

With the annual Riverbend Cricket Camp ticking all the boxes in the development of youngsters there was a vacuum for pedigree players in that age group.

That space was filled yesterday with the inaugural North Island Year 7-8 Tournament in Napier, thanks to Hawke's Bay Cricket Association.

"More children will be exposed to better cricket", HBCA chief executive Craig Findlay said yesterday as 10 teams competed at Nelson and Taradale Park in Napier in 50-over matches.

"It's an exciting opportunity for under 13-year-old kids to play against others in the North Island," Findlay said.

Among the sides competing in the tourney are three from Auckland (Eastern Districts, Cornwall and Howick-Pakuranga), two from Northern Districts (Western Bay of Plenty and Midlands, which is a combination of Matamata, Morrinsville, Hamilton, Rotorua and Poverty Bay).

Four sides hail from the Central Districts catchment - Taranaki, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Hastings and Napier - and one from Wellington (North City).

"To enable us to have a final on Thursday, all 10 teams are in one draw so the top two teams after three rounds will play in the final on Thursday."

Napier and Hastings are flying the Hawke's Bay flag so, as a region, they have a 24-boy squad.

Findlay said it offered a representative age-group platform in its pilot year.

"By next year, we want to have 16 teams," he said, adding with the impending ICC World Cup from next month and international fixtures it took some juggling to get the primary/intermediate tourney off the ground this summer.

"It'll be played in Hawke's Bay at Nelson Park, which isn't just a premier venue here but in New Zealand."

The plan is to have four rep teams each from each major association of CD, ND, Wellington and Auckland.

"They'll score 100 runs here and there'll be no retirements, and bowlers will take fivers in the next four days," Findlay said of the games that start at midday.