Hawke's Bay players shine at Indoor Cricket World Cup

Aniela Apperley (front) played a starring role for New Zealand at the World Indoor Cricket World Cup. Photo / Paul Taylor.

Todd Watson can only look on in amazement at what Aniela Apperley is achieving as a cricketer.

The pair were part of the six-strong Hawke's Bay contingent that represented New Zealand at last week's Indoor Cricket World Cup in Australia.

For Apperley, that trip ended in triumph. For Watson, and his New Zealand men's team, it was a case of what might have been.

Apperley was the star of New Zealand's one-run win over Australia in the women's under-22 final, being named player of the match and claiming a spot in the World XIII side, named afterwards.

It continued the Napier Girls' High School student's rapid rise in the game. Already a member of the Central Districts Hinds outdoor cricket women's squad, the teenager is now a world champion too.

"Aniela, she's awesome,'' Watson said.

"From watching her play, I didn't realise she was still at high school. She hits the ball seriously hard and just naturally picks up everything that she does.''

Watson has been representing New Zealand at indoor cricket since 2012, when he played a series in South Africa as a 13-year-old.

So for Apperley to be this proficient just two years after being introduced to the sport absolutely astounds him.

Liam McCarthy, Watson's outdoor teammate at Napier Technical Old Boys, was in the men's under-22 team, who also beat Australia in their final.

That just left Hawke's Bay interests to revolve around the unbeaten men's side, featuring Watson, Jesse Ryder, Dion Joll and Toby Findlay.

Unfortunately their final, also against Australia, wasn't close, as the hosts replied with 120 to New Zealand's modest total of 57.

"Gutted, especially beating Australia first-up'' was how Watson described it.

New Zealand had previously upset the form guide - and probably surprised themselves -
by defeating Australia in the first match of the tournament,

"You've beaten Aussie, so there's your benchmark. It was fuel for them but, for us, we had the pressure of 'we have to live up to this','' said Watson.

"The final definitely looks one-sided. We had our chances. Obviously 57 isn't a lot of runs. We'd beaten them earlier with [a score of] 75, but we always knew we had to get runs on the board against Aussie because they bat unbelievably.''

There was no time to sulk, though.

"New Zealand, being so little and used to punching above our weight, we're all together. When the 22s won, we all went down and did a haka for them when they came off,'' Watson said.