Mark Greatbatch visits Cobham Oval for fundraiser for youth in cricket

Former Black Cap Mark Greatbatch (right) presents a signed wine bottle to Northland Cricket Association life member Keith Kimber overlooking Cobham Oval yesterday. Photo / Langwoods Event Photography

Former New Zealand cricket player and coach Mark Greatbatch is doing his bit for youth cricket with an appearance at a fundraising luncheon at the Cobham Cricket Club on Friday.

Greatbatch, who made his debut for the national side on February 25, 1988 in a test against England in Auckland, travelled from his home in Auckland to Whangārei to appear as the guest of honour for the event which included an auction of valuable sporting memorabilia.

Mark Greatbatch (centre) gets involved in the auction with a number of great items up for grabs. Photo / Langwoods Event Photography

Items included a framed 2018 Northland Rugby jersey signed by All Black midfielders Jack Goodhue and Bruce Robertson, a framed 2018 All Blacks jersey signed by the squad, a Hurricanes jersey signed by the squad, a framed Brendon McCullum signed test shirt, a Steven Adams signed Oklahoma City Thunder singlet and more.

All the funds raised would go towards supporting the Cobham Cricket Club's mission of nurturing youth cricket in Northland and assisting the Northland Cricket Association to grow the game in Northland.

Greatbatch, 55, was staying in Northland over the weekend for some fishing and to watch Northland play Hawke's Bay last night , and said he fondly remembered his times in the north and jumped at the chance to help out.

"I played up here a long time ago at the old Cobham Oval as a young kid, I played against a few [Northlanders], Barry Cooper, Murray Child, Joey Yovich so I've known them over a long time," he said.

"You were never given anything against Northland, which is good, you had to earn it was a good quality to learn, it was a big part of my development.

The question and answer time with Mark Greatbatch (left) and MC Doug Golightly was an entertaining and illuminating experience for all those in attendance. Photo / Langwoods Event Photography

"I always have a passion for helping young kids in sport so it's a good cause and you always have to do a little bit to put back into the game, so it's always nice to do that and it's a good opportunity to catch up with some old mates and hopefully we can raise some money."

After a playing career which continued until December 1996 and a number of coaching stints, Greatbatch is now the director of cricket at Saint Kentigern College in Auckland. Greatbatch thought the sport was underfunded in New Zealand and needed a boost for players in their teenage years.

"They talk about kids exiting the game after they leave school, but there's quite a bit of drop off after Year 9 as well," he said.

"I think we've got a job to do to ensure that we keep kids playing and enjoying it, having fun, learning and having a bit of success so they actually keep playing the game.

"That means getting them proficient enough in the game to have that success and fun so they keep playing and that comes down to good programmes they are going to enjoy but also learn and get better from."

Mark Greatbatch became a cult figure for New Zealand at the Cricket World Cup in 1992 for his aggressive approach at the top of the order. Photo / Photosport

Greatbatch described how at Saint Kentigern College, players of rugby, cricket, football and netball were allocated four sessions every seven days where they focused on their sport of choice through skill work, strength and conditioning, and classroom work as less of an academy and more of a holistic programme.

"Out of that you're going to have some pretty exceptional kids you can help develop further and play at the top level, but it's really about them staying in the game," Greatbatch said.

Enjoyment as opposed to success has been a major talking point in junior sport recently. The North Harbour Rugby Union created national headlines earlier this year when it announced it would not field a representative under-14 side this season in an effort to promote enjoyment in the game.

Greatbatch said he hadn't thought deeply about anything similar being implemented in cricket but felt sometimes there was be too much emphasis on representative teams at a club and district level.

Greatbatch, seen here in 2010 as the Black Caps coach, is now the director of cricket at Saint Kentigern College in Auckland. Photo / Photosport

While interest in the longer form of the game (test cricket) had waned in some circles with the emergence of T20 cricket, Greatbatch said the interest in recent test matches between Australia and England, and New Zealand and Sri Lanka showed any changes to the game were unnecessary.

"We watched two test matches in the last week which have grabbed the attention of everybody which is positive to see.

"I'm not sure those people who want to reduce test cricket to four days have really thought it through properly, it's called test cricket for a reason because it's a test of the physical and mental attributes of a player."