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The Kaipara Flats Cricket Club premiers have four wins from four games so far this season, having beaten Onerahi Central, Maungakaramea, Whangarei City and, most recently, rivals Kamo in the Lion Red 50/50 competition.
In a home game on a sun-soaked Labour Weekend, Kaipara made 159/7, beating Kamo on 158/10.
Kamo is the team to beat for Kaipara this season, after losing out to them in last season’s final of the Northland competition.
Captain Liam Jones says the goal for this season is to take the top spot and qualify for the Northern Districts competition. They would then face top teams from Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau.
“The goal is to continue the momentum from last season where we won the one-day Northern Championship for the second time in a row,” Jones says.
“It’s been nine years since we qualified, but we believe we have the side to have a crack at the National Knockout Competition if we win the big games.”
The premiers have a solid squad of 13 players, which Jones says is strengthened by juniors moving up grades and the second ‘local’ team.
“We have two new overseas pros this year in Jack Beavan, who joins brother Luke Beavan from Reading, UK, as well as Sean Mee from Yorkshire, UK.”
Jack Beaven was the top wicket taker for the first three weeks of the Lion Red competition, with seven wickets in three games.
Kaipara also fields Ollie Whyte, who plays for Auckland Grammar and is on the U19s New Zealand representative team.
Jones says the premier team consistently feeds players to the Northland representative team, with Kieran Dill, Roy Christopherson and Ollie Whyte playing regionally this season.
“It is a pain but a good problem to have. The coaching for these boys filters down, which is great for the club.”
Meanwhile, the Waitemata Cup, organised locally by the Rodney Cricket Association, begins this week.
