Newsletter No9 4th March 2016

Welcome to the ninth of our newsletters. I hope they help keep all stakeholders in the Otago Country network up to date with the happenings within our organisation.
 
As we have headed into the latter part of the season the Youth Rep program has stepped up another gear. There has been trials held and teams selected, a busy time for players-coaches and parents alike. Let us not underestimate the time parents and volunteers give to the development of these young people. We are honestly and truly grateful for the time you people give.
 
We have six teams heading away this Sunday.
1. The Secondary Schoolgirls are in Dunedin for the second of their two-day tournament hopeful of making the final.
2. Our U17 boys are travelling to Dunedin to take on their Dunedin counterparts at Littlebourne.
3. U15 Boys travelling to Gore to play Southland.
4. Y7-8 A Team also in Gore playing Southland Country.
5. Y7-8 B’s and Y5-6 are both at Southland Boys High versus their Southland counterparts.
We wish you all the very best of luck with your games.
 
On Sunday 13th March we have all five boys teams playing at Molyneux Park against North Otago. All four grounds at Molyneux Park are being used as well as one of the artificials at Dunstan High. Get along to support these young people who are representing us.
 
While you are at the venues around the greater Otago Country region just take a little time out to look around and appreciate the quality of the grounds we have to play on. The likes of the Oturehua Domain, Naseby, Molyneux Park, Luggate, Milton, Queenstown Events Centre etc etc. If you happen to see the groundsmen at any of the venues just take the time to say ‘well done and thanks’. Some are paid and some do it because they love cricket but they all take special pride in what they do.
 
Kevin Burns, Fraser Wilson and the Hawke Cup side finished their Hawke Cup campaign with a 1st innings loss to Mid Canterbury to complete a disappointing season results wise. The exciting aspect of this game was the side selected with most guys having good club form and three made their Hawke Cup debuts. The mix with these youngsters and some hardened experienced players augers well for the future. Congratulations to Cam Fawkner who was named as captain for this game while Fraser was unavailable. Good reward for some hard work by Cam in his fight back to fitness.  Hawke Cup cricket is constantly referred to ‘as the hardest form of cricket outside of 1st Class cricket’ by people that have played both, so it’s no walk in the park. Congratulations to all those that were selected over the season, I trust you enjoyed the experience and will be back for more next season. Buller and North Otago proved it can be done but hard work and commitment must be done first. 
 
The Crosby Morris program is over for another season and it will rest in Vincent over the winter. As reported in an earlier edition the Maniototo challenge was a washout again. South Otago travelled up to Queenstown and easily won their game against Lakes and a fortnight later the Vincent boys travelled down to Kaitangata and had a comfortable win over South Otago. While some of the aspects of the program didn’t meet universal approval, and I received some passionate feedback, what it did show me that there is still some passion for the trophy and some good hard games played.
 
Club cricket in the region is coming to a close with the South Otago competition completed last weekend and Vincent finishing just over a week away. Kaitangata Kings completed a top season in South Otago with wins in both the 40 over competition and the T20 comp earlier in the season. They also hold the Challenge Cup.
In the Vincent competition Albion are almost a ‘shoe-in’ for a final spot in the Koford Cup 40 over Senior comp while Queenstown Zephyr are comfortable at the top of the Partridge Cup for the reserve sides. Good luck to all participants in the finals.
 
Congratulations to the Milton Cricket Club who celebrated their 150th Jubilee over Waitangi weekend. That is a huge achievement and I understand it was a great success.
 
At the beginning of February, Shayne O’Connor and I as reps of Otago Country Cricket met with representatives of Otago Cricket, Central Otago District Council and Asplundh to discuss the future use of Molyneux Park from a cricket perspective. We are a big user of this facility (around 50 days this season) and it was great for us and Otago Cricket to be able to sit down with the council and their contractors and have what was an extremely valuable discussion about it. As a Regional Sporting Organisation we need to work closely with our councils and this was the start of hopefully a long and fruitful association.
 
Part of the conversation centred around the possible development of a Committee to assist with any future Otago Volts and Sparks fixtures at Molyneux Park. Lindsay Breen and Shayne O’Connor (and their band of helpers) have done an unbelievable job in running the ship since the return of top level cricket at MP. They have things fairly well set up but my thoughts are that they need ‘help’. I know they have some ideas around this but in the meantime if you think you have something to offer please don’t hesitate to contact me, or the lads mentioned. Further info on this in future newsletters. 
 
There has been a lot written and spoken since the sad passing of Martin Crowe. I had the pleasure of touring England with the New Zealand Cricket team for around three months in 1994 as their scorer. Martin was in the side. He scored three centuries on that tour, 102 not out against his beloved Somerset at Taunton and one each in the last two tests of that tour. His 142 at Lords in the second test almost helped set up an improbable test win. That test was known as the ‘Dion Nash test’, Dion scored a 50 and took ten wickets in the match. Bad light prevented us from making history. Martin’s second test century on the tour was in the third test at Old Trafford where he scored 115 off around 230 balls to help us draw the test with help from a defiant 70 odd from Adam Parore. During that tour Martin played with a large knee brace on to assist his chronic knee injury. He is the most elegant batsman I have ever seen and had the pleasure to score for. Martin David Crowe, RIP.
 
Our two Cricket Development Officers, Willie Miller and Emma Campbell are both busy again in their roles. They are both into school visits again for Term One and are spending plenty of time with some of our rep teams. Just a reminder that Willie can be contacted on 0212790979 or email Willie @ otagocricket.co.nz and Emma can be reached on 0211242266 or email [email protected] If you have any questions please contact these two or myself.
 
Keep an eye on the Otago Country Cricket Association Facebook page for news updates. You will notice the latest FB posts go on the ‘home page’ of the website as well.
 
Just to repeat from previous newsletters, no sporting organisation can run without the help of sponsors and funding partners and the Otago Country Cricket Association would like to thank the following for their brilliant help for the 2015-16 season.
The Bendigo Valley Sports and Charity
The Lion Foundation
KiwiSport
Geosolve
NZ Community Trust
Pub Charity
Mark Wilson, Marketing and Fitness Consultant
Kookaburra
 
Please support these people and organisations where possible as they have supported us.
 
I would also like to thank Alli Jones and her team at Promo-X in Dunedin for the outstanding job they have done with our rep teams uniforms and caps this season. Nothing is a problem to these people (even two days before Christmas!!!). Check out their website if you need any team clothing or monogramming done. 
 
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