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Brad Norris, left, is congratulated on becoming Premier Reserves team captain by Hibiscus Coast Cricket Club manager Gair McSkimming. Photo, Jeremy Fourie
With the Auckland Cricket Association rolling out new competition formats to enhance the experience of both players and spectators, and hopefully capture the imagination of Black Cap wannabes, Hibiscus Coast Cricket Club is looking forward to an action-packed summer of cricket.
From Soft Ball Sixers to Hard Ball Smash, from six players to 11 players, from 1.5 hour games to two days of play, there seems to be an option for everyone.
Newly appointed club manager, Gair McSkimming, says the season ahead is also about developing cricket skills through more specialised coaching across all ages and grades.
This includes calling on the skills and experience of former New Zealand test cricketers Brendon Bracewell and Bruce Martin. The pair will provide focused coaching sessions for Coast players, where necessary, to complement the work of senior head coach Ramesh Lakmal, who returns for his third season with the club.
Sam Lucas, an accomplished cricketer and Level 2 coach from the UK, will also bolster the clubs’ top team and, along with Ramesh, will help develop coaching programmes with local schools.
Gair says he wants to develop a plan that will show how each cricketer can improve their game and progress through the age groups. “I want to develop a pathway for all cricketers on the Coast, from junior through to senior level,” Gair says.
A self-confessed ‘cricket tragic’, Gair is enthusiastic about the season ahead, especially when it comes to being back in the Premier Reserves Men’s Grade. “We want a strong year, and I think we’re shaping up well. We’ve got a couple of young guys that have really developed well from last season,” he says.
All-rounder Brad Norris, a Stanmore Bay resident, Health & PE teacher at Orewa College and NZ Survivor participant, (HM May 2), has recently been appointed as the Premier Reserves team captain.
“We are a younger side this season, but we aim to continue to build on the success we had last season,” Brad says.
