Wairarapa Cricket Association

Latest Local Cricket News

• Coach to balance bad with the good In todays Time Age 16th Jan, 2013 http://www.times-age.co.nz/news/coach-to-balance-bad-with-the-good/1720711/ By Gary Caffell All-rounder Dean van Deventer, one of the heroes of the impressive nine-wicket win over Horowhenua-Kapiti in Masterton last weekend, will miss the end of Wairarapa senior men’s Hawke Cup campaign against Manawatu in Palmerston North on January 26-27. With hauls of 5-22 and 3-39, Van Deventer was the spearhead of a Wairarapa attack which dismissed Horowhenua-Kapiti for 106 and 197. He also smacked a rapid 42 not out in Wairarapa’s first innings of 289. The inclusion of Van Deventer in the Wairarapa side came after he returned home to Masterton after completing another year of study in Christchurch and he is due to head back down south this week. Wairarapa selector-coach Sam Curtis readily concedes the absence of Van Deventer will hurt his side against a Manawatu team which will definitely earn themselves a Hawke Cup challenge if they pick up maximum points. “It’s always an advantage to have a bowler with the pace to consistently hurry the batsmen up and Dean has that ability,” Curtis said. “We won’t have the same penetration without him, no doubt about that.” The loss of Van Deventer could, however, be good news for Red Star medium pacer Josh Mann who appeals as the logical replacement after his superb form in the latest round of Bidwell Cup games, taking 11 wickets (4-35 and 7-22) and producing knocks of 37 and 53 not out in his side’s outright victory over Kuranui Old Boys. It will be interesting, too, to see if Curtis and fellow selector Brian James keep the remainder of the Wairarapa side intact for the Manawatu match. Opening batsman Justin Herbert will obviously come under the spotlight after making the dreaded pair last weekend but that was his first appearance at this level this season and the temptation could be to give him ...
• NO INCREDIBALL OR KIWI CRICKET THIS FRIDAY 14th DEC On behalf of Sam and the Wairarapa Cricket Association we wish you and your family a very Merry Xmas and Happy New Year! A big thanks to all our volunteers and we can’t wait to see you in the New Year.
• Rural search on for future Black Caps Well done Sammie and another great article in the Times Age from Gary Caffell. Click here for the Times Age version. Black Caps beware … up to 1400 Wairarapa rural school pupils will get the chance to approach the crease this summer thanks to Kiwi Cricket. The Wairarapa Cricket Association has started running cricket awareness sessions to 10 rural primary schools in the area. These tasters will continue through the 2012-13 cricket season but a spin-off already is the excitement of up to 115 children participating in the full Kiwi Cricket programme at their schools this term. The programme, funded by KiwiSport through Sport Wellington, aims to initially develop children’s fundamental skills of striking, throwing, catching and running so more pupils participate in sport, ultimately growing the number of children aged 6 to 10 years continuing to play cricket in the Wairarapa. Sam Curtis, Wairarapa Cricket development officer, says one of the aims of the programme is to capture potential future cricket players who attend country schools and perhaps have the skills but not the resources to go further. “There’s a fair bit of talent out there. We aim to go to these schools and give pupils the coaching and resources to improve their game. Ultimately, clubs should gain as these new cricket players come to play competition cricket.” Cricket awareness sessions have been held at the Gladstone, Kahutara and Pirinoa schools this term. Seven other Wairarapa country schools will get their taster sessions next term, with 1400 rural children being introduced to the programme. Up to 420 children are expected to continue with the full Kiwi Cricket sessions. The programme will end with two cluster cricket festivals in March. “We aim to grow interest in cricket in the Wairarapa region so the children who participate in this programme stay in the game,” says Curtis. “We want to increase ...
• Watt propels Red Star Thanks to Gary Caffell. Click here to go to the Wairarapa Times Age  Red Star all-rounder Jarred Watt has made a habit of producing outstanding individual performances on the Wairarapa interclub cricket scene in recent seasons, and he was at it again over the weekend. Watt was the main catalyst to Red Star dominating their Bidwell Cup fixture against Greytown at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval in Masterton, taking starring roles with both ball and bat in their outright victory by an innings and 72 runs. A medium-pacer capable of extracting useful bounce out of the most placid of wickets, Watt finished the game with 12 wickets to show for his bowling efforts. Maintaining a consistent line and length, he claimed 6-43 when Greytown declared their first innings closed at 101-9 and followed with 6-15 in Greytown’s second innings which produced just 53 runs. And in between times Watt also gave a hint of his prowess with the bat, making 33 off 21 balls, including one 4 and two 6s, in a Red Star first innings which was closed at 226-6. Only his skipper Joe Hull, whose 72 came off 82 balls and included nine 4s and one 6, provided more runs to the impressive Red Star reply, while Nik Karaitiana made 25. There were very few positives for Greytown in what was a below-par performance by the southerners. The pick of their batsmen in their first innings were Tim Lucas, who made a patient 33 from 137 deliveries, and Daniel Ingham, whose 17 came off 44 balls. The 17 made by Lucas was the team’s top score in a second innings in which the only other batsmen to make double figures were opener Daniel Haxton (13) and Gordon Reisima (11). None of the batsmen from four to 11 in the order made more than three runs, thanks to ...
• Cricketers raise funds to help brave Angus A nice story on Stuff.co.nz. Cricket is such a great game! Click here for the Stuff article. Wellington’s cricket community is rallying around a five-year-old boy diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Taita Cricket Club stalwart Dave Little and his wife, Wendy, are considering taking their son Angus to the United States for treatment. The move will be costly, and Wellington’s cricket community has stepped up to the challenge. “Umpire for Angus Day” on December 1 saw Cricket Wellington umpires and scorers donate their match fees to the Angus Little Brain Tumour Fund-Raising Appeal, raising more than $1200. Retired umpire Jim Glynan donated $2 for every appeal of Dave’s he turned down over the seasons – about $100, he reckoned. On Saturday, as Mr Little coached the Taita Premier side, the opposing Johnsonville team presented him with a donation. On Boxing Day, Cricket Wellington will donate $1 for every person through Basin Reserve’s gates for a T20 match against Central Districts. “The whole cricketing community has been awesome,” Mr Little said. Angus is a boisterous child, but the tumour has shown subtle signs of its grip. It has pressed on a nerve, causing a sensation a doctor has likened to “thousands of spiders” on the skin. Angus scratches his face at night as a result. As the tumour grows, it could rob Angus of his mobility and sight. The Littles want to get him into a clinical trial at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Mr Little, 38, was a leading wicket-taker across Wellington and Hutt Valley senior cricket for many years, making a first class appearance for Wellington in 1999. He and Wendy learned of their son’s condition after Angus’ growth shot off the charts, and he began having stomach problems. In December last year an MRI scan showed a lesion on his brain. He was diagnosed with a Ganglioglioma tumour wrapped ...