Cricket season in full swing

The Rodney Cricket Association has wasted no time in resuming its season with a full programme of competitions ahead.

Kaipara Flats Cricket Club will host a Northland Region Junior Cricket Festival this weekend on Sunday, January 23.
Northland Cricket development manager Liam Jones says it will be a chance for Rodney’s junior players to play with teams from Northland they wouldn’t normally come up against.

There will be a T20 match with “super smash rules”, which gives every player a chance to both bowl and bat.

There will then be a second festival day with the same format at Whangarei’s Kensington Park on Sunday, March 13. Junior players should register their interest at www.northcricket.co.nz.

Meanwhile, the senior men’s Friday night competition is nearing its final on January 28, having resumed as soon as Auckland shifted into the Covid red light setting last month.

Six teams entered, including Tomarata which re-joined the association last year.

Jones says it has been great to see strong numbers and enthusiastic play.

“Cricket has been a great way for people to be social fresh out of lockdown and catch up with mates while getting fit,” he says.

The 40-over competition starts with four teams next month.

The Kaipara Flats Premier team is also back in action in the Northland Cricket Association. Covid-19 prevented the one-day competition, but the T20 started this month and the two-day competition is still to be held.

Kaipara Flats are the reigning champs of the two-day comp and have had the good fortune of having all of their matches scheduled at home this season.

“The boys have had 11 weeks with no cricket, so they are raring to go,” Jones says.

Kaipara Flats is also hosting a provincial match between Northland and Counties Manukau on Saturday, March 5.

Jones says the club hasn’t hosted a provincial match in more than 10 years and intends to “put on a show”.