Inter-district series takes game up a notch

Northland's Far North cricket team is hoping their first experience on a grass pitch tomorrow will be a good one.

If the representative side can beat the Whangarei XI, they will equal the four-match series 2-all and share the trophy up for grabs.

In what will be a 40-over affair, the action gets underway from around 10am at Cobham Oval.

Far North Cricket selector Pete Barnett said it was exciting to see the Northland Cricket Association getting behind the inter-district series by looking at providing official umpires.

"It's my biggest game of the season. Currently the series is 2-1 to Whangarei, let's hope we get them on Sunday on that wicket, but we'll just see how it pans out," he said.

"Ninety-nine per cent of the boys haven't played on a grass wicket before and especially that international one.

"I think it's really cool Northland Cricket are getting the match, I'm really looking forward to it and the boys are too."

Barnett said a lot of hard work had been done trying to get the sport going in his area.

"I've been working on this for eight years to get people up here playing cricket, kids and adults. Last year, we had two senior men's teams and now we've got five, so it's slowly starting to pick up.

"I've put a lot of time and effort and money from my own pocket to keep it [cricket] going, and to see the senior men and kids playing on a Saturday, and watch them growing, it really does make me feel proud of my achievements without being big-headed."

Inter-district cricket
- Far North v Whangarei XI
- Cobham Oval, tomorrow.
- 40-over affair starting from 10am.