Hi all

Please see below for the NCA’s latest update.

Office:

  • The NCA wishes to welcome HelenSmith to the cricketing fraternity. Helen is now Northland Cricket’s new Office manager and it is fantastic to have her on board.

School and Junior Cricket:

  • Cricket Field Days– Whangarei, Northern Wairoa and Rodney Cricket Association’s will look to facilitate Cricket Field Days in Term 1.
  • A KerikeriGoGirls Festival Day will similarly look be facilitated in Term 1.
  • Junior Cricket – February 7 – start date for all junior cricket.
  • Upcoming School Tournaments:
  • Bruce Scott (Senior Secondary Boys) – 24 and 25 February – Kensington Park.
  • Doug Thorpe (Intermediate Boys) – 9 and 10 March – Kensington Park.
  • NZ Shield (Intermediate Girls) – 11 March – Kensington Park.
  • Leaf Cup (Senior Secondary Girls) – 3 and 4 March – Kensington Park.
  • NZ Community Trust JSSB (National – JSS Boys) – Knockout Tournament (games played home and away throughout the term).
  • Gillette Cup (National – Secondary Boys) – 23-26 March – Hamilton.
  • NZ Community Trust SSSG (National – Secondary Girls) – 24 and 25 March – Hamilton.
  • Robertson Shield (SSS Boys Challenge Shield) – dates and matches TBC.
  • Northland Senior Secondary Girls’ – Congratulations to the SSS Girls for winning their tournament in December. The team was: Olivia Lobb (c), Jade Litchfield, Tia Saunders, Maria Wright, Eva Pearson, Brooke Golightly, Paige Golightly, Caitlin Phillips, Sam Hardy, Hayley Green and Charley Green.
  • Northland Primary Boys– Congratulations to the Primary Boys for winning their tournament in December. The team was: Luke Trigg,Sam Webb, Kian Bird, Max Turner, CalePooley, Alex Gordon, Cameron Gordon, Harry Cooper, Billy Alexander-Crawford, KalaniSnooks, Braden Hutchinson and Nathan Parkes.
  • Northland Junior Secondary Boys– Congratulations to the JSS Boys for coming second in their tournament in December. The team was: Quinn Pooley, Hamish Kidd, Lewie Miller, Caleb Boswell-Smith, Sean West, Cullen Lowe, Owen Arthur, Van Grooby, Kurt Oldridge, Austin Ryburn, Bryn Williamson and Campbell Jones.
  • Northland Senior Secondary Boys– The team came 6th in their tournament. Unfortunately the side played in the second half of the playoffs due to run rate, after losing only one game in their pool play. The team was: Sean Beamish, Findlay Buchanan, Shane Burton, Fletcher Coutts, Josh Crawford, Liam Jones, Lewis Miller, Chamodh Peiris, Noel Roberts, Jarrod Ross and Max Trimble.
  • Thank you to all of the coaches, selectors and volunteers that are involved in the NCA’s Junior Representative Sides. Your efforts and commitment to junior cricket in Northland are greatly appreciated.
  • The Educare NCA Coaching Team will be working in various High Schools, Intermediates, Primary Schools and Child Care Centres throughout February/March and we are looking forward to working with children and teachers alike. The Educare NCA coaching team would like to thank those schools, thus far, for their support of cricket in Northland. It has been fantastic to see such improvement in the students that we have been working with during the cricket season and equally fantastic to have support in schools. Also, the EducareNCA coaching team would like to thank Alan and Jackie Lints for their support in developing junior cricket throughout Northland.
  • Thank you to Mark and Donna atStirling Sports for their Player of the Day monthly $50 draw for the lucky winner. Each week, junior coaches for every team have the opportunity to hand out a Player of the Day certificate and the winners of these certificates enter online at for the chance to win a monthly draw for a $50 Stirling Sports voucher. Congratulations to Nate Cunis, Gracie Potter and Niko Firth for winning October, November and December’s $50 voucher, drawn by Mark Newman. With Junior Cricket not starting until February, there will be two draws for that month.
  • Thanks to Tony ‘Tank’ Edwards for his fantastic work for junior cricket on Saturday mornings at Kensington Park. It is hugely appreciated by the NCA.

Adult and Club Cricket:

  • Club Cricket – started back on January 10.
  • Good luck to Maungakaramea CC, who play Greerton CC (BOP) to decide who ND’s champion club is for the 2014/15 season. The winner of this game earns the right to go to the National Club Champs in late March/early April. The game will be played in BOP on February 8. The NCA wished the team well.
  • Congratulations to Ben Hyde and Henry Cooper for being awarded the Cobham Cricket Club/Northland Cricket Trust Scholarships for the 2015 off-season. The boys will head to England in April and play for their respective clubs. The Northland Cricket Association wishes to thank both the Cobham Cricket Club and Northland Cricket Trust for their ongoing support of cricket in Northland.
  • The Bellahomes Northland 1st XI played some good cricket leading up to Christmas and again post-Christmas. The side has earned the right to challenge for the Hawke Cup on February 13, 14 and 15.
  • Congratulations to the Bellahomes Northland 1st XIfor winning the Brian Dunning Trophy, ND’s District Association One Day Competition.
  • Reserve Grade Representative Cricket – Sunday, Jan 11, saw a first for Northland Cricket with a Whangarei Reserve Grade Representative team host Counties-Manukau and the Far North in a triangular T20 competition. The Whangarei team was: Richard Cates, Ryan Chestnut, Tim King, Logan Choat, Dante Mitchell, Jake Serotsky, Brandon Gilmour, Ian Wallace, Shane Burton, Adrian Hodgson-Smith, Lucky Singh and James Merry. The Far North team was: Rob Drummond, Jim Roberts, Josh Ashley, Chris Bell, Pete Barnett, Duncan Robertson, Richard Hislop, Blair Downon, Bernard Coogan, HazeleyWindelborn and Rob Tooren.

Scores:

  • Game 1 – Counties-Manakau 164 for 6beat Whangarei 120 for 8
  • Game 2 – Counties-Manakau 147/4 (J Ashley 2 for 16) beat Far North 111(D Robertson 23)
  • Game 3– Whangarei 122/8 (S Burton 17 andJ Ashley 3 for 17)beat Far North 105/7 (D Robertson 27)
  • The Northland 2nd XIhave continued to play Auckland Development sides and the matches have been a great opportunity for players pushing for spots in the 1st XI. Auckland won the tri-series 2-1.
  • Thanks to all of the umpires for their efforts so far this season. It has been fantastic to see our umpires showing great commitment and skill and the cricketing fraternity is hugely appreciative of their efforts.
  • Thank you to Jason Mills at Kookaburra for his fantastic support of the NCA. The Kookaburra equipment that the coaching team uses is second to none so thanks again to Jason and the team at Kookaburra. Kookaburra has been outstanding to work with and the Northland Coaching Team certainly endorses their coaching and playing equipment. For information on purchasing Kookaburra; contact Steve Cunis at the NCA or Mark Newman at Stirling Sports.
  • Check out the website for rules, draws, general information and the like
  • Also, don’t forget to like Northland Cricket on Facebook and keep up with the NCA’s updates, scores and general information.

Northern Districts and New Zealand:

  • International Blind Cricket – The New Zealand Blind team played their Australian counterpart on January 20 and 21. The two T20 matches were hotly contested but Australia secured two wins. The first match saw 198 runs scored by the Australians and the Kiwi’s fought hard to get 150. In the second match, the Australians again batted first and scored a well comprised 210 and the NZ side battled hard but could only manage to score 176. Congratulations to Maia Lewis and the NCA team for their organization in these games and a massive well done to the NZ and Australian teams…their attitudes and efforts were inspirational!
  • The New Zealand Women’s Team (White Ferns) play England on February 19 and 20 at Cobham Oval. The NZ side trains at Cobham Oval on Wed 18 Feb at 10am and the England side at 2pm. People are welcome to come and watch the teams train if interested. The matches start at 11am each day. These games will be a great endorsement for women’s cricket so come along and support our team.
  • First Class Cricket – ND play CD on Friday 27 February to Monday 2 March. Entry is free and all are welcome to come and watch our team.
  • Congratulations to Tim Southee for his and the Black Caps performances in December and January. The entire cricketing fraternity here in Northland wish him and the side well for the CWC.

ND A – National Provincial Tournament – Jan 1-9

The ND A side that played in the National Provincial Tournament in Christchurch from Jan 1-9, included 5 Northland players. They were: Henry Cooper, Cody Andrews, Tyler Lortan, Ben Hyde and Brad Wilson joined the squad for two matches. The side finished second and this was a good reflection of how the side performed throughout the 9 days. Stephen Cunis was the coach of this side.

Henry Cooper had an outstanding tournament and was Northern Districts’ top scorer. With scores of 49, 109, 49, 60no, 22 and 33 off 11 balls, in his 6 bats; Cooper was in dynamic form. He was most certainly the player of the tournament from the ND side and Cunis felt that he put his hand up and is pushing for higher honours because of his consistent performances.

Cody Andrews bowled extremely well and was the pick of the ND seamers throughout the tournament. He bowled with pace and was very effective in Power Plays and in the final overs. His efforts and skills have certainly steered him in good stead for the future.

Tyler Lortan played very well and caught the eye of the ND selectors. His leg breaks were instrumental in the side’s success and he picked up key wickets at very important times. He had limited opportunities with the bat but his 42 off 18 deliveries against CD and 60no off 41 balls against Auckland were brilliant innings’.

Ben Hyde had a couple of unfortunate dismissals during the tournament, one being a run out at the non-strikers end, without facing a ball, when it came off the bowlers foot off the very first ball of the match! He did however, score a well comprised 40 against Auckland and a brilliant 97 against CD. Hyde’s fielding was also outstanding and he impressed with his athleticism and skills in this area.

Brad Wilson came in for two matches and played nicely for 33 and 66. He added 150 for the 2nd wicket, with Ben Hyde, against CD.

ND U19 Men

Nick Stobart represented the ND U19 side at their National Tournament in Christchurch. Nick was very consistent with the ball and was amongst the wickets throughout the tournament.

ND U17 Boys

ChamodhPeiris and Lewie Miller both represented the ND U17 side that was coached by Northland’s Neal Parlane. The side played matches against the BOP U19’s and Auckland U17’s. Peiris scored a well comprised and mature 41 against Auckland and his opening partner, Lewie Miller, played nicely as the two added 50 for the first wicket.

ND U21 Girls

Dec 16-22 - Olivia Lobb and Paige Golightly represented Northland well in the National U21 tournament at Lincoln. Paige took 2 for's on a couple of occasions, Olivia was the wicketkeeper and vice-captain and had a couple of good knocks with the bat.

ND U18 Girls

The ND U18 Girls played Auckland in two T20's, for a win and a loss. The team was captained by Olivia Lobb and also included Tia Saunders and Jade Litchfield from Northland.Our best performances were Olivia 40no and Tia bowled well for 1 for 15 from 3 overs

ND U15 Girls

Jess Pilmer represented the ND U15 girl’s side in their tournament in Wanganui. She flew the Northland flag extremely well and picked up 1 for 11 against Otago and 1 for 8 against Canterbury. It was fantastic to see Jess included in this side.

Steve Cunis

(Operations Manager)