Bay of Plenty Lakelands' Matthew Veitch plays a shot against Northland during the Northern Districts Junior Secondary School Cricket Tournament. Photo / Stephen Parker
Bay of Plenty Lakelands' Matthew Veitch plays a shot against Northland during the Northern Districts Junior Secondary School Cricket Tournament. Photo / Stephen Parker
The future stars of Northern Districts cricket have been battling it out in Rotorua this week and it was Hamilton who came out on top for the second successive year.
Teams from Bay of Plenty, Northland, Poverty Bay, Hamilton, Waikato Valley and Counties Manukau, as well as a composite teamcomprising players from each of the associations, played in the Northern Districts Junior Secondary Cricket Championship from Monday to Friday.
Hamilton batted first in the two-day title decider against Waikato Valley and scored 305 runs.
Hamilton opening batsmen Jacob Parker set up his team's victory when he belted 106 runs off a marathon 191 balls to anchors his team's big total. Kuwyn Price also played a big part in the innings, working his way to an unbeaten 55.
Another outstanding accomplishment in the encounter was provided by Waikato Valley bowler Banrog Sidhu, who took a remarkable seven wickets for 70 runs to go with his five wicket bag earlier in the tournament.
Waikato Valley got away to a good start in their innings and were in touch at 132/4, however two quick wickets from Ethan O'Donoghue turned the momentum in the match. O'Donoghue went on to collect two further bowling scalps as Waikato Valley were removed for 170 to hand Hamilton a 135-run victory.
Counties Manukau took third place in the tournament with a win over Northland. In the Plate playoffs, Bay of Plenty Coastland and the ND Invitational team both posted big first innings totals on the way to victory.
Northland's Cole Roberts, left, and Sam Lints make an appeal during the Northern Districts Junior Secondary Cricket Championship in Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker
Sidhu was the star bowler of the tournament with two five wicket or better hauls, with Niven Dovey also taking a brace of big wicket bowling scalps. Vincent von Mulert-Carvel from Northland returned the remarkable bowling figures against Bay of Plenty Lakeland of five wickets at a cost of just five runs.
The tournament's highest score was blasted by Tim Pringle, when the Bay of Plenty Coastland batsman hammered 173 runs against Bay of Plenty Lakeland. Coastland's Niven Dovey achieved the rare feat of a century and two five-wicket bags. Counties Manukau batsman Ben McKendrick also posted a three figure score of 107 on day one.
ND Junior Secondary Tournament in Rotorua - November 4-8
Day Four/Five - Two-Day Matches
Championship Final: Hamilton 305 (JP Parker 16, K Price 55no; B Sidhu 7/70) won first innings points Waikato Valley 170 (C Robinson 33, L Tindall 29; E O'Donoghue 4/30) Third Place: Northland 184 lost first innings points Counties Manukau 213
Plate Playoffs Fifth Place: Poverty Bay 125 (M Hudson 29, N Dovey 5/23) lost first innings points Bay of Plenty Coastland 192/4 (N Dovey 119, T Pringle 67; M Foster 2/20) Seventh Place: ND Invitation XI 342/7 won first innings points Bay of Plenty Lakeland 94
Tournament Best Figures Runs173 – Tim Pringle (Bay of Plenty Coastland) Wickets7/70 – Banrog Sidhu (Waikato Valley)
Tournament Milestones Centuries: 173 Tim Pringle (Bay of Plenty Coastland) 119 Niven Dovey (Bay of Plenty Coastland) 107 Ben McKendrick (Counties Manukau) 106 Jacob Parker (Hamilton) Five Wickets (or better) 7/70 Banrog Sidhu (6/11 Niven Dovey (Bay of Plenty Coastland) 5/5 Vincent von Mulert-Carvel (Northland) 5/23 Niven Dovey (Bay of Plenty Coastland) 5/32 Banrog Sidhu (Waikato Valley)
