Berkley Normal School's cricketing heroes are off to stake their claim on the national pinnacle of junior cricket - the Milo Cup.
From November 27-29, they will line up in Palmerston North against the cream of the country's junior players from Havelock North Intermediate, Blue Mountain College, Takapuna Intermediate, HeatonIntermediate and a Wellington team, yet to be decided.
The cup and shield national primary school's cricket competitions started in 2000. The competitions give primary and intermediate boys and girls the opportunity to enter a national competition and encourage children to play cricket.
The preliminary rounds in each of the competitions are played within their major cricket associations, either on a knockout or round robin basis and are completed by term one of the school year.
Teacher-coach Duncan Haworth, a keen social cricketer, says the girls have played well to win the Northern Districts round and have every chance of success.
To get the chance at national honours, Berkley won the Hamilton section by beating Southwell School and then beat Drury to go into the Waikato-Bay of Plenty decider.
The Berkley girls triumphed over Katikati and beat Southwell again to win the right to go to Palmerston North.
Duncan is no stranger to the competition. He took boys and girls teams to the Milo Cup finals in 2010 but with no experience of playing on grass they came home empty handed.
