Cricket received a huge boost this summer with more than $100,000 in grants from ANZ bank.

A record 119 cricket grants were awarded to clubs and schools, players and fans throughout the country from the 2012/2013 ANZ Cricket Grant Scheme.

Recipients ranged from Kaitaia Primary School who received a complete junior gear set, through to Sumner Cricket Club who received new pitch covers.

Ray Watson of the Rotorua Cricket Association, which received $1,500 worth of bats, stumps, helmets and pads, says the grant will make a huge difference to junior cricket in the region.

“We’ve been working really hard to create a great culture for junior cricket in Rotorua, with a focus on helping young people develop a lifelong love of the sport. In just a year we’ve gained more than 100 new junior players and are still growing.

“This ANZ Cricket Grant has given us the gear that we desperately need to keep offering cricket training to our junior players. Now we can continue to encourage youngsters to give cricket a go with top-notch equipment to develop their skills,” he says.

ANZ Senior Sponsorship Manager Kylee Daniel says the bank is proud to have again supported all levels of cricket in New Zealand through the grant scheme.

“The ANZ Cricket Grant Scheme was established to help Kiwis get more from their favourite summer game, whether they’re a fan, a social player, or competing at club level.

“To date we have given $400,000 to the cricket community and will continue to award another $100,000 worth of grants next season. We encourage everyone, particularly individuals, who are in need of a helping hand to apply for a cricket grant,” she says.

The 2013/2014 ANZ Cricket Grant Scheme will open for entries later this year at anzcricketworld.co.nz.

Cricket Express has signed up for another three years as Auckland Cricket's preferred retail cricket supplier.

Cricket Express has been involved as a sponsor of Auckland Cricket for 17 years and this new deal continues that close relationship.

Auckland Cricket CEO Mark Cameron was pleased to be able to announce a renewal of the contract.

"Cricket Express provides a fantastic service for cricketers and is the acknowledged expert when it comes to cricket equipment. That cricket knowledge and experience make them a great fit with us and it's a relationship that's worked very well for a long time. Auckland Cricket is proud to have them on board again as a sponsor and thrilled that they will be with us for another three years."

As well as being Auckland Cricket's preferred retail supplier Cricket Express will also be outfitting Auckland Cricket development staff with clothing and providing two gear scholarships to aspiring young cricketers for each year of the agreement.

Cricket Express has two stores in Auckland, the first in Enfield St, Mt Eden and the second located on the North Shore at Paul Matthews Rd, Albany.
For more details see http://www.cricketexpress.co.nz

A University of Canterbury (UC) economics expert is giving a public lecture next week on how economics can help cricket teams.

In the lecture, UC economics and finance lecturer Dr Seamus Hogan will ask what if economics could help cricket teams win matches and what if teams employed economists in addition to their psychologists, conditioning coaches and physiotherapists.

``Why is it that New Zealand traditionally punches above its weight in the one day international (ODI) format of the game? Why has the batting powerplay had so little effect on team ODI scores on average? And how is economics remotely related to cricket anyway?’’ Dr Hogan asks.

``To consider the first of these questions, we have used techniques from economics to decompose how well batsmen do into how much raw talent the batsmen have and their strategic nous in knowing how best to utilise that talent in choosing their level of aggression. New Zealand batsmen have been very good in their strategic awareness.

“Sports teams are increasingly using detailed statistical analysis to help give them an advantage over their opposition. In contrast, the economics of sport mostly focuses on sport as a business rather than on-field strategy. However, one-day-international cricket is a natural subject for the application of economics reasoning and how this reasoning can be a useful tool both for helping teams think about strategy and for informing spectators about the state of a game as it’s played out,’’ Dr Hogan says.

As a result of Dr Hogan’s research with former doctoral student, Scott Brooker, Sky sport this summer has provided an answer to the `who’s winning at the moment’ question.

In the one day internationals and Twenty20 games shown on Sky sport this summer, statistical information provided answers from the UC-devised WASP—the `winning and score predictor’.

In the first innings, WASP gave a predicted score. In the second innings, it gave a probability of the batting team winning the match.

UC research undertaken by honours student Marcus Downs and supervised by Dr Hogan used the WASP to look at the importance of fielding in 122 ODI games played between the top eight cricketing nations between February 2011 and July 2012, including the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

``We found that in one day cricket, at least, fielding was not as vital as batting or bowling. Good bowling can contribute about three times as much as good fielding to the performance of the team, and good batting even more.

``Over the period of our database, New Zealand ranked first out of all the major cricketing nations in taking catches and effecting run outs, once the degree of difficulty of the catch or run out was taken into account.’’

At 34, SKYCITY Northern Knights pace bowler Brent Arnel became a back-to-back winner of both the Northern Districts Bowler of the Year title and the supreme Cricketer of the Year award at ND's 25th annual season awards gala, held at SKYCITY Hamilton.

Arnel thanked his team-mates and vowed to be back next year after a season in which he was the equal top wicket-taker nationally in the Plunket Shield.

http://www.ndcricket.co.nz/blogs/the-pink-report/entries/nd-awards-video-special

Other major awards went to Northern Spirit Player of the Year Natalie Dodd, who scored three consecutive unbeaten centuries among her record-breaking spree of hundreds in the women's national one-day competition.

21-year-old Daryl Mitchell was named Batsman of the Year in his breakthrough season and the trophy he collected last year for Young Player of the Year went this season to exciting 20-year-old leg spin bowler Ish Sodhi. Sodhi played in all 10 Plunket Shield games this season and took 20 wickets, including his first 5-wicket bag. He showed his all-round ability by scoring 3 half-centuries.

Special presentations were made to retiring Knight James Marshall, who was also awarded the trophy for Fieldsman of the Year for the third consecutive year, and to Corey Anderson and Daniel Flynn for their record Plunket Shield fourth wicket partnership at Seddon Park, and to Brad Wilson and Daniel Flynn for their record Plunket Shield second wicket partnership.

It was a notable season for the Knights with James Marshall (most runs), Graeme Aldridge (most wickets) and Daniel Flynn (most centuries) all breaking or extending all-time ND first-class records.

Natalie Dodd and Nicola Browne won the Northern Spirit Outstanding Performance Award, sponsored by Sure Trade Building, recognising the achievement of Dodd and Browne in setting a NZ record 3rd wicket partnership of 236 v Wellington at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. Both players scored centuries, Browne being dismissed in the last over for 115 and Dodd remaining not out on 106.

Further Awards:

ND A Player of the Year: Jono Hickey

ND Districts Player of the Year: Cody Andrews

Umpire of the Year: John Dempsey

Allan McBride Trophy: Ben O'Brien-Leaf (service to junior cricket)

Service to Cricket Award: Richard Yates

Basil McBurney Trophy: Hamilton (champion Development team)

Eric Petrie Cup: Kaipara Flats (champion club)

Women's District Association Champion Cup: Poverty Bay

Brian Dunning Cup and Fergus Hickey Rosebowl: Bay of Plenty (District one-day and two-day champions)

The Auckland Aces will be bolstered by the return of Blackcaps Colin Munro and Kyle Mills for the start of their Ford Trophy campaign against the Canterbury Wizards today.

The 12 named for the first round clash also sees opener Tim McIntosh and all-rounder Donovan Grobbelaar join the squad.

The Aces play three away games to start the Ford Trophy, with the Canterbury game followed by trips to Hamilton and Wellington, before a run of four home games.

After a disappointing finish to the Plunket Shield Aces coach Matt Horne is looking to start afresh in the one day format and pleased to have his Blackcaps available. “Bringing Colin (Munro) and Kyle (Mills) back is great and gives us a really good balance to the side. The Ford Trophy gives us a bit of a chance to refocus and also a new challenge to finish off the season well.”

The 12 from which a team will be named for today’s game starting at 11am is as follows:

Gareth Hopkins (Captain) (Parnell)
Michael Bates (Suburbs New Lynn)
Craig Cachopa (Takapuna)
Colin de Grandhomme (Howick Pakuranga)
Donovan Grobbelaar (Howick Pakuranga)
Dusan Hakaraia (Grafton United)
Anaru Kitchen (Waitakere City)
Tim McIntosh (Parnell)
Bruce Martin (Parnell)
Kyle Mills (Howick Pakuranga)
Colin Munro (Howick Pakuranga)
Matt Quinn (Cornwall)

Many thanks to our sponsors and funding partners:
HRV, Ford, Admission Digital, Action Indoor Sports, Benefitz, The Lion Foundation, NZ Community Trust, Cancer Society, ASB Community Trust, Four Winds Foundation, Infinity Foundation, Nautilus Foundation, Trillian Trust, Mondiale, Cricket Express, White Cross Accident & Medical, Canterbury of NZ, Cruise Company, Staples Rodway, Health & Sports Fitness Club, Russell McVeagh and The Mortgage Supply Company.

For more information see http://www.aucklandcricket.co.nz

Submissions on Canterbury Cricket’s resource consent application to establish an International Cricket Venue on Hagley Oval closed today (4 February), with a preliminary figure of 239 received.*

Canterbury Cricket’s resource consent application includes development of a pavilion, embankment, lighting and associated landscaping.

Resource Consents Manager John Higgins says varied views on the resource consent application have come in so far, with approximately half of submissions in support of the application and half in opposition.
“Comments in support of the application state Hagley Oval is the best site for developing an international cricket venue in Christchurch and the proposal will contribute to Christchurch’s recovery and rebuild following the earthquakes. 

“Further comments mention cricket has been played at Hagley Oval for more than 100 years. Others thought the redevelopment of the Oval will not prevent or disrupt other recreational use of Hagley Park any more than the events already held there such as Ellerslie International Flower Show, the World Buskers Festival or the existing netball and tennis courts.

“In opposition to the application people stated Hagley Park is public land and should, therefore, only be available for public sport and not used as a commercial business. People also thought there were insufficient car parking spaces and parking would be an issue, especially for Christchurch Hospital staff and visitors to the hospital. Concerns were also raised about the intrusive nature of the proposed pavilion and the lighting towers and the visual pollution created by the embankment and cricket structures,” he says. 

Canterbury Cricket have requested the application be directly referred to the Environment Court. If the request is accepted, an initial step is for the Court to receive a planning report from the Council. This report will include a summary of the submissions received and the Court also receives a copy of each submission in full. The Environment Court contacts submitters with details of the hearing once a hearing date is set.  A decision on the application will be made by the Court.

Following the Environment Court’s decision and subject to Canterbury Cricket gaining resource consent, the Council will meet to consider a report on the grant of a ground lease to Canterbury Cricket for the proposed pavilion, light towers. The Council must also decide whether or not to approve the proposed scope of work for the embankment. A date for this meeting has not been set.
    
Background

Christchurch City Council, at its 6 December 2012 meeting, agreed to refer Canterbury Cricket's resource consent application to redevelop Hagley Oval directly to the Environment Court for consideration and a decision.

*A preliminary figure is indicated as submissions that come in close to the 5pm deadline are still to be processed.

Australian batsman Aaron Finch will join the Auckland Aces for their crucial HRV Cup semi-final clash with the Wellington Firebirds tomorrow.

Finch comes fresh from the Big Bash League where he captained the Melbourne Renegades to the semi-finals. Their loss in that game against the Brisbane Heat has been to the Aces advantage as it means he is now available for tomorrow's match and the final if the Aces win.

Finch has an enviable Twenty20 record, averaging 38 overall and with over 1600 runs in 54 matches. He's also played a handful of games for Australia in both twenty20 and one day formats and comes off a Big Bash season where he posted his first ever T20 century and racked up 332 runs at an average of 66.4.

Aces coach Paul Strang is excited about having Finch in the mix for tomorrow.
"He's a class player and he's obviously been in really good form for the Renegades so he'll be a great addition to the team. We're looking forward to him continuing that form when he pulls on an Aces shirt."
Finch will be the Aces second overseas professional alongside Andre Adams with Englishman Phil Mustard having been released to take up a contract in the Bangladesh Premier League.

The Aces squad also sees one change from that which downed the Stags to make the semi-final, with Grafton batsman Dusan Hakaraia joining the 13 to replace Anaru Kitchen, who suffered a side strain during that game and is still injured.

The Firebirds are likely to have their own Australian firepower for the semi-final probably in the shape of Shaun Tait and Cameron Borgas, however Strang is making sure that his side is concentrating on their own game ahead of tomorrow?s match.

"They're obviously quality players that they're bringing across but we won't be focusing on them. We've very much got the approach that if we get our own game right and nail all the details then we'll build the pressure that will win us games - and that's what we'll try and do tomorrow."

The 13 from which a team will be named for tomorrow's game starting at 4.30pm is as follows:

Gareth Hopkins (Captain) (Parnell)
Andre Adams (Overseas professional)
Dean Bartlett (Ellerslie)
Michael Bates (Suburbs New Lynn)
Craig Cachopa (Takapuna)
Colin de Grandhomme (Howick Pakuranga)
Aaron Finch (Overseas professional)
Donovan Grobbelaar (Howick Pakuranga)
Dean Bartlett (Ellerslie)
Matt Quinn (Cornwall)
Bhupinder Singh (Papatoetoe)
Lou Vincent (Takapuna)
Reece Young (Suburbs New Lynn)

Aaron Finch
Twenty20 record
Played: 54
Runs: 1643
Average: 38.20
Strike rate: 130.70
High Score: 111*

Big Bash 2012/13
Played: 8
Runs: 332
Average: 66.40
Strike rate: 125.75
High Score: 111*

Many thanks to our sponsors and funding partners:
HRV, Ford, Admission Digital, Action Indoor Sports, Benefitz, The Lion Foundation, NZ Community Trust, Cancer Society, ASB Community Trust, Four Winds Foundation, Infinity Foundation, Nautilus Foundation, Trillian Trust, Mondiale, Cricket Express, White Cross Accident & Medical, Canterbury of NZ, Cruise Company, Staples Rodway, Health & Sports Fitness Club, Russell McVeagh and The Mortgage Supply Company.

For more information see http://www.aucklandcricket.co.nz

The HRV Cup reaches its final stages this weekend and as the Aces head to Wellington for a semi-final date with the Firebirds, the figures are in on what has been a hugely successful season for crowd attendance in Auckland.

This year saw the innovation of Friday Nights Under Lights with Auckland playing host to three games out on the main oval at Eden Park on consecutive Friday nights.

That move has proved to be a winner with average match attendance across the three games being almost 6,000 and the game against the Otago Volts on 4 January seeing more than 7,000 people turn up to watch the HRV Cup action. That number marks a quantum leap from the previous average of 2500 for Auckland HRV Cup games.

The pitches and conditions have played their part with all games being high scoring affairs on excellent batting wickets - borne out by an average score of 188 over the six innings played.

The players have also enjoyed playing on such a great surface and in front of bigger crowds who have played their part with chants and hand-claps to get in behind the Aces.

Aces skipper Gareth Hopkins agrees that the main oval experience has been a great success.

"All the guys have really enjoyed playing out there. It's a fantastic surface, the wicket has been great and to have that many people in the stadium is brilliant. It really gives some atmosphere to the game and you can feed off that as a player."

Auckland Cricket CEO Mark Cameron is pleased that what was seen as a gamble by many has been such a success.

"There were definitely some doubters out there before we started but I think the numbers we've had plus the experience that people have enjoyed in the main stadium across those three games have proved that it was an experiment that worked very well. Eden Park is a great venue and a fantastic place to play and watch cricket - I think  the HRV Cup has reminded people of that fact in the best possible way."

Attention now turns to the rich diet of international games scheduled for Eden Park this season with the soon to arrive English tourists due to play a twenty20, ODI and test match in Auckland.

That full calendar and especially the test match is something that Cameron believes Auckland cricket fans should be excited about.

"To have three games in Auckland is fantastic for our cricketing public and to have a test match for the first time in seven years against a quality English side is great news. We know that the English supporters will be here in numbers and we'd love to be able to match that with an equally strong local contingent to bring a really lively atmosphere to the ground."

Fans don't have long to wait for their first taste of the English with the T20 coming on 9 February, followed by the ODI two weeks later on the 23 and then a month's wait until the test match commencing on 22 March.

HRV Cup - Crowd figures for Eden Park

21 Dec - Auckland Aces v Canterbury Wizards    5649
28 Dec - Auckland Aces v Wellington Fierbirds    5011
4 Jan - Auckland Aces v Otago Volts                    7040

England tour dates at Eden Park

International Twenty20 - Blackcaps v England, February  9, 7pm
One Day International - Blackcaps v England, February 23, 2pm
Test match - Blackcaps v England, March 22-26, 10.30am

Full tour schedule http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/schedule/the-anz-series-v-england/130/series.aspx

The Auckland Aces will head into their do or die last round HRV Cup match with the Central Stags tomorrow afternoon with an unchanged side.

The Aces got home with a four wicket win over the Canterbury Wizards in a tense encounter at Rangiora on Sunday thanks to a scorching finish led by all-rounder Donovan Grobbelaar.

His smash and grab innings of 24 off just 7 balls means that the Aces now sit four points behind the third placed Northern Knights, and with a superior run-rate in their back pocket they know that a win tomorrow would book them a semi-final meeting with the Wellington Firebirds this Friday afternoon.

That emphasis on treating every match as a must win game suits the Aces according to coach Paul Strang.

"To be honest we've very much been keeping our eyes dead ahead on what's in front us, trying to look at each game as if it's our last so tomorrow's scenario just sticks with that formula really."

The game sees a return to the Eden Park Outer Oval for only the second time this season in the HRV Cup and the Aces will be looking to mark the occasion with a victory to send them to Wellington and a date with the Firebirds on Friday.

The 13 from which a team will be named for tomorrow's game starting at 4pm is as follows:

Gareth Hopkins (Captain) (Parnell)
Andre Adams (Overseas professional)
Dean Bartlett (Ellerslie)
Michael Bates (Suburbs New Lynn)
Craig Cachopa (Takapuna)
Colin de Grandhomme (Howick Pakuranga)
Donovan Grobbelaar (Howick Pakuranga)
Anaru Kitchen (Waitakere City)
Phil Mustard (Overseas professional)
Matt Quinn (Cornwall)
Bhupinder Singh (Papatoetoe)
Lou Vincent (Takapuna)
Reece Young (Suburbs New Lynn)

Would you like a closer look at the new cricket practice nets at Pukekura Park?

From 10.30am to 11.30am this Thursday (10 January) the Taranaki Cricket Association and New Plymouth District Council are holding a public chat so that people can see how the nets operate.

“They will be a great facility for cricketers and this is a good chance for the public to see how they operate and to ask any questions,” says TCA Chairman Neil Sulzberger.

“The grass on the pitch is still growing so the public won’t be able to come onto the nets’ turf, but they can look in as we show how the nets’ configuration can be changed to suit bowlers and batters.”

Head Groundsman Craig Hitchcock will be on hand to explain the science behind the clay pitch, and Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags players will also be there to talk with the public.

Says Mayor Harry Duynhoven: “We’re in a midst of Pukekura Park’s cricket programme for summer so it’s a great time for the players and those who help deliver the games to mix with cricket fans and talk about this new facility.

“It’ll be a very informal hour – just an opportunity to see up close how the nets operate and to talk with those who are getting it ready for use.”

The practice nets’ turf will be ready to use in March.

Christchurch City Council has released a memorandum clarifying the impact of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan on the proposed redevelopment of the cricket ground at the Hagley Oval.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has clarified that the enhancement of Hagley Oval was included in the Recovery Plan so that, should the Council decide to redevelop the Oval to allow it to bid for 2015 Cricket World Cup games and be successful in that bid, it would be easier to work through the legal requirement to make this happen.

In order for the proposed redevelopment to proceed, Canterbury Cricket has to obtain resource consent for the pavilion, light towers and the embankment. The Council has to decide whether or not to approve the proposed scope of work for the embankment and the grant of a ground lease to Canterbury Cricket for the pavilion and light towers.   

The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan includes the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as a cricket ground capable of hosting domestic cricket matches and international tests as an Anchor Project.

The Council is responsible for the administration of Hagley Park. The governing document for the Council’s administration of Hagley Park is the Hagley Park Management Plan 2007. It provides the policies for managing the park, including the regular sporting activities that take place there.

Under section 23 of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 the Hagley Park Management Plan cannot be inconsistent with the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan. This means the proposed

redevelopment of the Hagley Oval cricket ground is now included in the Hagley Park Management Plan.
The memorandum has been prepared in conjunction with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s (CERA) Legal Team in response to the Council’s Community, Recreation and Culture Committee (CRAC) resolution seeking clarification from CERA on the impact of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan on the Hagley Park Management Plan, and the intentions of CERA in including an international cricket ground in the Plan.

General Manager Community Services Michael Aitken says the memorandum has provided clarification.
“The inclusion of the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as an Anchor Project in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan has meant that the Hagley Park Management Plan now effectively includes the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as a venue for domestic and international cricket.”

Community, Recreation and Culture Committee Chair Yani Johanson says it is vital that everyone has the opportunity to the see the memorandum, “Given the significant public interest in this proposed redevelopment on Hagley Oval it is important that this information is released clarifying the legal position between CERA and the Council.” 

The Committee’s recommendation and the memorandum will be discussed by the full Council on 6 December.

Click here for the agenda.

Read the memorandum
To view the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan visit http://ccdu.govt.nz/the-plan

It has long been the bane of cricket fans to be asked in the middle of a game who is winning.

Now thanks to University of Canterbury (UC) research, Sky sport are able to provide an answer to the `who’s winning’ question.

In the one day internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 games shown on Sky sport this summer, statistical information will include  answers from the WASP—the `winning and score predictor’.

In the first innings, the WASP gives a predicted score. In the second innings, it gives a probability of the batting team winning the match. This is based on models developed by UC PhD graduate Dr Scott Brooker and his supervisor Dr Seamus Hogan.

``It is really pleasing to be able to turn on the TV and see one’s research being put to use,” Dr Hogan said today.

``The WASP is not a forecast that could be used to set TAB betting odds. Rather they are estimates about how well the average batting team would go against the average bowling team in the conditions under which the game is being played given the current state of the game.

``It is a measure of how well the teams have done to that point, rather than forecasts of how well they will do from that point on.

``The models are based on a database of all non-shortened ODI and Twenty20 games played between the top eight countries since late 2006. The first-innings model estimates the additional runs likely to be scored as a function of the number of balls and wickets remaining. The second innings model estimates the probability of winning as a function of balls and wickets remaining, runs scored to date and the target score.’’

Dr Hogan said the estimates were constructed from a dynamic programme rather than just fitting curves through the data. Using a novel technique Dr Hogan and Dr Brooker developed, they have been able to estimate ground conditions from historical games and so control for that confounding effect in their estimated models.

In the games on Sky, a judgement is made on what the average first innings score would be for the average batting team playing the average bowling team in those conditions, and the models’ predictions are normalised around that information.

``At this stage, I believe this judgement is just a recent historical average for that ground, but the method of determining par may evolve.

``More graphics around the use of WASP throughout the season are expected on Sky, with the system fully up and running by the time of the international matches against England later this summer.’’