Cricket: Changing face of local game

Eastern Pirates bowler Des Beckett in action against Geyser City earlier this season. Both sides have helped boost the number of teams entered into senior reserve grade cricket in Rotorua. Photo/Andrew Walker.

On any given day during summer it's usually not hard to find a game of backyard cricket being played.

The same could be said about local club cricket. Head down to Ray Boord Park on a Saturday morning and you will see plenty of youngsters in their cricketing whites playing for one of the local schools or clubs.

At the senior level, cricket has seen a resurgence at the senior reserve grade level with the number of teams doubling from last year's four. Even an Eastern Pirates Cricket team has been resurrected this season after an absence from the cricketing scene for about three seasons.

Currently Rotorua has only the two premier teams playing in the Baywide cricket competition - Central and Bay of Plenty Indians. Unfortunately the two teams have struggled for the last couple of seasons.

But there seems to be a surge from the clubs within Rotorua to try and get Rotorua cricket back to its glory days where they were a true threat in the Baywide competition.

One of those clubs helping to try and make a difference is Geyser City Cricket Club, who have two teams competing in the reserve grade.

Geyser City Cricket Club co-founding member and current player Karl McKnight said there had been a concerted effort from all the clubs in Rotorua to try and boost the interest in cricket within the city.

"We've done a lot of work on the administration and behind the scenes work to try and boost the interest in club cricket. I think our club is heading in the right direction.

"We want to see Rotorua cricket back to where it used to be. It's not just airy fairy stuff. We have a number of Level One coaches in our club... I think our club is going in the right direction."

McKnight said the club was even working with other clubs to give some of their younger players a chance to get a taste of premier cricket.

"You just have to look at a player like Sam Murdoch, he is bowling out of his skin... When Central (premiers) have needed a player we've been happy to let him have a go.

"As long as he is being used we have no problem with it and if they don't use him then we get him back."

The opening batsman and former captain said attitudes had changed in recent years between the clubs. While there was still a lot of inter-club rivalry, clubs now understood it was to everyone's benefit to try and work together to help get younger players participating and enjoying cricket at a senior level.

Giving younger players like Murdoch the opportunity to play at a senior level appears to be paying dividends for Geyser. The side has had a number of good results this season, most recently a good win over last year's reserve grade champions Taupo Wanderers.

Result for match between Geyser 1 and Taupo Wanderers held on November 23;

Geyser 210/9 (M Mitchell 26, K Vanner 38, M Farnell 34; J Collier 2/38, M Collier 2/44, M Mitchell 2/41) Wanderers 197/8 (K Robb 23, C Robertson 26, A How 22; C Corbett 3/27, R How 2/35)