Forget Tiger, Leopard's on prowl

You've heard of the exploits of Tiger taming the pristine fairways of professional golf as a youngster but this story is about a Leopard on the prowl.
This 13-year-old Leopard, sporting a blond mop on a sinewy frame, is the cub of bushman Kevin and Lesley Leopard, of Napier.
The initiated in cricketing circles here are touting Christian Leopard as the next phenomenon from Hawke's Bay since the explosive days of Jesse Ryder.
No, in fact, Napier Technical Old Boys (NTOB) stalwart Craig Findlay says make that weight for weight, age for age better than ex-club mate and current Black Caps batsmen Ryder as well as Kane Williamson, of Northern Districts.
Pheew ... that's definitely a huge call from Findlay but his father, Harry Findlay, has watched a lion's share of talent pass through the annual Riverbend cricket camp in the Bay for the past three decades.
"Harry's seen Jesse and Kane and he reckons this kid is much better then those two were at his age," Craig Findlay, who co-ordinates the camp, says.
The St Patrick's School pupil, who will attend Napier Boys' High School this year, finished his under-13 campaign for NTOB last Wednesday and today began his stint for the under-14s involving 14 teams from the North Island.
His under-13 statistics in 30-over matches certainly do raise an eyebrow or two.
Against Tawa, Leopard was 123 not out. Whitby got him cheaply at 17 but he bounced back with an unbeaten 61 against Onslow before unleashing his wrath on the Collegians Black with 147 runs.
Last Wednesday, coach Thaine Newport demoted Leopard to No10 in the spirit of the camp mantra "to give everyone a go".
The youngster momentarily dropped his shoulders but got on the crease with three balls remaining in the match against Collegians Red at Windsor Park, Hastings, only to be run out for a duck in the first ball he faced.
"He was unhappy a little but got on with it," Newport says of the right-hand batsman who can bowl too.
Apart from loving the game, his coach says Leopard is dedicated to training.
"He always wants to challenge himself against the others, especially against adults.
"He knows he has the ability and knowing it and showing it with confidence," says Newport, who has coached him since he was in the NTOB under-11 side.
The other enduring quality of Leopard is his humility to fit into a team culture.
"He does whatever the team asks him to do. It's not just about him."
Leopard started practising cricket in their shed at home from the age of 5 after his father, who played social competitive cricket for Eskdale, placed two stump marks on a wall to bowl at.
"Dad put a ball in a sock and hung it from the ceiling and I would hit it with the bat over and over," says Leopard, who Craig Findlay invited to play Milo cricket at the age of 8 after the family received a flyer in the mail box promoting the summer sport.
Leopard is adept at hockey, soccer and rugby, having played fullback for the Ross Shield-winning Napier team last winter.
The Bay age-group representative player, who is partial to hooking and pulling, doesn't flinch when asked how he feels to be juxtaposed with contemporary batsmen such as Ryder and Williamson.
"Pretty good. When I was 7 years old I decided to play cricket," he says, adding ex-international Derek Stirling and Steve Field have also helped him hone his skills at rep level.
Craig Findlay says there's fat chance Leopard will play any other sport than cricket.
"I'll make sure of that. He certainly won't be playing rugby or anything else."