Indoor cricket: Bay boys strike gold for CD

CHAMPIONS: The Central Districts Gold Under-14 indoor cricket team who won the national provincials age-group title in Wellington last week. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A Central Districts boys' team of Hawke's Bay age-group cricketers have won the bragging rights in their first entry of the annual national provincial tournament.

CD Gold, comprising seven Napier Technical Old Boys (NTOB) players and two from Cornwall, were crowned national champions in the under-14 grade of the tourney at the Hutt Indoor Sports Centre in Lower Hutt, Wellington, last week.

"Traditionally Central Districts used to send a team combined half and half with Taranaki but this time we thought we had enough quality players to put our Hawke's Bay players in," says CD Gold coach Mike Pawson, after Taranaki entered a CD Green side at the tourney which started on September 28 and included under-16 and under-18 grades as well.

Auckland, Canterbury, Northern Districts and Wellington also were represented.

CD Gold went through undefeated in their seven games and captain Samuel Pawson was named U14 MVP in the tourney.

"We were only pushed once by ND," says the coach after his young charges dominated the pool stages.

They beat ND by four runs in the final, restricting them to 59 runs after electing to bowl.

Their run chase looked comfortable following three useful partnerships but the last combination had the wobbles despite doing the job all the way through the tourney.

When the dust settled, a -1 partnership was enough to see CD gold emerge victorious over ND with a total of 63 runs.

Hosts Wellington were not prepared to lie down for CD Gold in the semifinals either amid some vociferous support.

CD Gold posted a respectable total of 80 runs, albeit below their average for the tournament.

Nevertheless, while the game came down to the last over the CD Gold boys' precision fielding didn't allow the Wellingtonians any chance of getting on top as their final batting pair wilted under pressure for a six-run defeat.

Pawson says while his players are outdoor cricketers the up-tempo indoor version is great for honing their skills before the summer begins shortly.

"The ball is always alive in indoor cricket and it was quite funny against Wellington who had all their supporters as well as their under-16 and under-18 teams so it was a bit of a cage for my boys.

"It was very noisy and vocal and that's great, although we were comfortable so it was a great experience."

Allrounder Samuel Pawson, who also can keep wickets if required, was pleased with his MVP award but hastened to add several CD Gold players could have won it.

"I guess we just played well but two or three of us could have won it," says the 13-year-old Taradale Intermediate pupil, singling out Baylee Foote and Lovepreet Pabda as worthy of it.

They had invited the two Cornwall players to join the team because they had played against them and were mindful of their skills.

Samuel Pawson says the team sees the benefits of indoor cricket before the outdoor one beckons.

"It gets us prepared to see the ball a bit and roll our arms and stuff."

With the Indoor Cricket World Cup in Dubai next year, the annual tournament next year will be used as a selection for the event.

CD Gold team: Ethan Green, Lovepreet Padda, Jorban Bath, Josh Fairbrother, Charlie Pawson, Toby Findlay, Baylee Foote, Samuel Pawson (c) and James Rawnsley.