Keen Paihia cricketers score gear of their own

DELIGHT: Celebrating the Paihia Greens' new cricket gear are ANZ Bay of Islands manager Lauren Menzies (left), coach/manager Vikas Sharma, vice-captain Vipul Sahore and captain Arshad Siddiqui.PHOTO/PETER DE GRAAF

The days of borrowing the opposition's gear before heading out on to the field are over for a Paihia cricket team.

The Paihia Greens started just last year with a softball and a handful of enthusiasts, but have since grown to 15 players and are currently at the top of the Far North cricket table.

However, at the start of each game they'd have to borrow pads and helmets from the other team, and the arrival of every new batsman at the crease was delayed as the borrowed gear was swapped over.

But when the team strides out on to the pitch tomorrow it will be in their own kit, thanks to the ANZ Cricket Grant Scheme donating three bats, three sets of gloves and pads, three helmets, two balls, two sets of stumps, and other essential bits and pieces.

Captain Arshad Siddiqui said the players were delighted with the new gear which coach/manager Vikas Sharma said would have cost $3500, well beyond the fledgling team's means.

The team had started playing in the Far North Cricket Association league only this summer and had been borrowing gear from the association and other teams.

"We saw this grants scheme on the internet, so we decided to apply and got team members and supporters to vote," he said.

The first game in their own gear would be tomorrow against Kerikeri. Last time the teams met Paihia lost by just one wicket.

"It'll be a different game altogether with this new gear," said Mr Siddiqui, who believed the Paihia Greens had a good chance of winning the Far North trophy this year.

The other teams in the Far North league are Kaitaia, Mangonui, Kerikeri and Kaikohe.

ANZ Bay of Islands manager Lauren Menzies said the team's inclusiveness and community spirit was one of the reasons its application had been successful.

The judges were swayed by the Paihia players' passion for the game. For more information on the scheme go to www.anzcricketworld.co.nz