Cricket: School's new ground a big boost at junior level

Koby Lett, 10, (front) in action during the opening of a new cricket ground at Lynmore Primary School. Photo / Ben Fraser

One of Rotorua's biggest primary schools has opened a new cricket ground on its premises, giving junior cricket a boost in Rotorua.

A new cricket wicket at Lynmore Primary School was opened on Saturday morning, followed by a match between the school's two cricket teams, Lynmore Black Caps and Lynmore Golden Caps.

While there are currently no 1st XI cricket teams at any high schools in Rotorua, primary school cricket in the city looks to be on the up.

Rotorua Junior Cricket committee member Jo Cheesman said the new cricket ground at Lynmore looked great, and would promote the game to young cricketers at the school.

"[Two of the fathers] Crispian Stewart and Mark Chapman have been the driving force behind it, in the hope it will help promote cricket as a great sport to play and help build cricket in Rotorua," she said.

"And it is just a really pleasant place to play cricket."

She said the primary school competition in the Rotorua area, for Year 4 to Year 6 pupils, had a good number of teams this year which was promising.

"We have five teams in the primary grade now, and last year we struggled to have two teams, so it is a big improvement."

Cheesman said Rotorua Junior Cricket was there to help school teams get off the ground, and parents and schools should not be worried about the cost.

"If anyone is put off by the fact they don't have the pads or whatever, they don't actually need them anyway as Rotorua Junior Cricket have all of it," she said.

"To start off with, you don't actually need anything."

Funding for the new cricket ground at Lynmore Primary School was provided by the Bay Oval Trust. Some high schools in Rotorua will field a 1st XI team in the one-off Gillette Cup but no high schools have a 1st XI playing in a weekly competition.

- Lynmore Black Caps 129/7 (Josh Banfield 28*, Cohen Stewart 25, Sean Gapes 16, Sam Cheesman 15*; Ewan Mcleod 3-35, Harry Cheesman 2-24) defeated Lynmore Golden Caps 86 (Dylan Tamariki 27, Hayden Chapman 13, Leo Banfield 11; Harshdeep Kahlon 2-3, Joel Sutton 2-4).