Let's help discover our stars of the future

LOCAL PRODUCT: Trent Boult, a Rotorua-born cricketer, is one of a number of Bay of Plenty players making their mark at international level. PHOTO/FILE

There is no doubt Bay of Plenty cricketers are making their mark on the international cricket scene.

It's just a shame very few are from Rotorua.

There is nothing like watching a big sporting occasion and being able to name players from your home town.

You are probably picturing some right now, such as Steven Adams or Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

Sadly, as far as cricket goes, it is hard to draw a name out of the hat if you are from Rotorua.

At present three Bay of Plenty cricketers are in the Black Caps including Trent Boult, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson.

Of those three, Anderson and Boult have been especially good during the West Indies tour of New Zealand.

Three more Bay players are regulars in the Northern Knights - Daniel Flynn, Graeme Aldridge and Jono Boult. Fellow Bay players Tony Goodin, Joe Carter and Bharat Popli have also played for the Knights in the last two seasons.

So, just how many of these players are from Rotorua, you ask?

Brothers Trent and Jono Boult were born in Rotorua but moved away at a young age. Former Black Cap Flynn was also born in Rotorua but is not based here and plays club cricket for Mount Maunganui.

Meanwhile, Popli is not from here but has been plying his trade as a batsman for the Rotorua-based Bay of Plenty Indians for the last couple of years.

So even if you were feeling lenient it would be a stretch to claim four top players from Rotorua.

My point, you ask? I guess it is this: Where is our next cricket star going to come from?

Rotorua currently has two Baywide premier club sides in Central Cricket Club and the Bay of Plenty Indians.

Between the two clubs there is only one player who is regularly selected in the Bay of Plenty representative team, Popli.

It is easy to be critical, but I think we can only expect to see more local cricketers making the big time once we build a stronger premier set-up in the Baywide competition.

That can only happen when people who enjoy cricket get involved with supporting the local game in Rotorua.

Some good things are happening in Rotorua to support cricket pathways and help make this happen.

Rotorua Cricket development manager Dave Richardson has been doing an excellent job promoting junior cricket. The Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade competition is in a particularly strong position as well in terms of the number of teams entered.

Meanwhile, Geyser Cricket Club have shown interest in entering a Baywide premier team during the next couple of years.

However, one of the let-downs in Rotorua cricket at present is the low number of high school teams entered in the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade competition.

There is plenty of talent in the city but only John Paul College entered a team at the start of the 2013/2014 season.

We have the talent to produce Black Caps in the future, so get behind our future stars by supporting the game in Rotorua.