Domestic and international cricket academy to be established in Whanganui

Collegiate director of sport Barry Touzel said the new cricket academy will be run in-house. Photo / Bevan Conley

A cricket academy to develop domestic and international cricketers is to be established at Whanganui Collegiate School, in a partnership between the school and the New Zealand Cricket Foundation.

The academy will be open to promising male and female cricketers of secondary school age. The foundation will provide financial support to upgrade the school's existing indoor cricket training facility to complement the school's extensive outdoor pitches and nets.

New Zealand Cricket Foundation trustee John Morrison said this will be the first partnership of this nature between the New Zealand Cricket Foundation and a school.

"We are very excited to partner with Whanganui Collegiate School and do look forward to seeing young cricketers develop in this excellent environment.

"We were established in 1972 to support the development of cricket and to nurture the love of the game. We ran the Young Cricketer to Lords scholarship, which has helped the likes of Martin Crowe and Ross Taylor develop their games after leaving school.

"This partnership is an exciting development for the foundation. Whanganui Collegiate School has a long and proud tradition as a cricket nursery, producing quality players who have gone on to senior careers, and it is well known for its excellent coaching, and extensive grounds and pitches.

"The new Whanganui Cricket Academy will build on that existing track record and facilities. It will be open to applicants from both New Zealand and overseas to develop cricketers who want to excel at senior levels of cricket, both male and female.

"One aspect that cricket in New Zealand is noted for is our excellent relationships with players from all countries. Not only will the academy aim to foster local talent, but it will also welcome applications from young, promising cricketers from offshore as that will help to elevate our own standards."

Whanganui Collegiate School headmaster Wayne Brown said the new cricket academy builds on the school's existing cricket programme and will provide a pathway for aspiring young cricketers, who will also attend seven-day-a-week boarding school as students.

"This is an exceptional opportunity to develop cricketers of character. Applicants will have performance attributes, but we will be looking for young people who are well rounded, and will execute the character required to play the game of cricket at its highest level. The partnership will drive that opportunity in the best interests of the sport of cricket.

WCS headmaster Wayne Brown said the academy was an exceptional opportunity to develop cricketers of character.

"Our facilities — especially our outdoor pitches — are excellent. We also have high-quality coaches in Whanganui. With the upgrade of our existing indoor training facility, thanks to the support of the Cricket Foundation, Whanganui Collegiate will provide an environment in which young cricketers can immerse themselves in both a quality education and a quality cricketing environment.

The WCS facilities - especially the outdoor pitches - are excellent.

"The new programme will commence in the New Year and will be expanded over time as the facilities are further developed and the Whanganui Cricket Academy is marketed both in New Zealand and overseas, in places like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, England and Australia."

The partnership envisages the development of cricket tournaments and live-in coaching clinics which can be run at the school, especially during school holidays when the school's boarding accommodation facilities will be available to visiting players. The academy also aims to develop courses and qualifications in cricket umpiring and coaching.