Central Districts Cricket has announced a strong Central Districts Under-17 squad to represent the region at the fiercely competitive national championships at New Zealand Cricket’s High Performance Centre in Lincoln, Canterbury, from Thursday this week.

The NZC National Under-17 Tournament is a development opportunity for the best young cricketers from all around New Zealand and, for many players, the championship is their first opportunity to test their skills at a national level against their contemporaries from other provinces.

CD last claimed the national title in 2014/15 and is out to break Auckland’s stranglehold, the defending champions from the big smoke having made it two trophies on the bounce last summer.

Both islands and seven of CD’s eight District Associations are represented in this year’s CD U17 squad for the busy week of one-day matches — reflecting strong work at grass roots and development level and exciting emerging talents right across CD’s extensive catchment.

Right-hand number four batsman Sam Sherriff, 17, returns to captain the side as one of two rising stars from Cricket Wanganui — alongside Joel Clark, with Wanganui Collegiate’s Hadleigh O’Leary also having been selected as a non-travelling reserve.

Hawke’s Bay supplies four players to the travelling squad: vice-captain and top order batsman William Clark, Sam Ferguson, left-hand opener Brayden Hill and Harry Mowat, with fellow off-spinner Brandon Roberts also named as a non-travelling reserve.

The South Island districts of Nelson and Marlborough are represented by 16-year-old leg break bowler Finn Restieaux (Nelson) and Marlborough’s Tom Sutherland, who opens the batting for Centic, and Wairau Valley paceman Joel Lavender; while left-hand top order batsman Dylan Reder flies the flag for Horowhenua-Kāpiti.

Taranaki’s Jordan Gard, Sebastian Lauderdale-Smith and Manawatū’s Thomas Kirk complete the thirteen, with Manawatū’s Curtis Heaphy, who was named player of the tournament at last season’s national NZCT Junior Secondary School Championships, a non-travelling reserve.

Along with new captain Sherriff, Restieaux, Reder, Hill and Clark all return from the CD U17 squad that placed third on the table in last season’s championships.

The 2018/19 side will be coached by Cricket Wanganui’s Dilan Raj with assistance from Nelson’s Luke Toynbee who will also manage the team. CD’s Euan West has been appointed one of the tournament’s six official scorers.

NZC UNDER 17 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

NZC HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE | LINCOLN

January 2019

CD U17 SQUAD

Sam Sherriff — Whanganui — captain

William Clark — Hawke’s Bay — vice-captain              

Joel Clark — Whanganui

Sam Ferguson — Hawke’s Bay

Jordan Gard — Taranaki

Brayden Hill — Hawke’s Bay

Sebastian Lauderdale-Smith — Taranaki

Joel Lavender — Marlborough

Harry Mowat — Hawke’s Bay

Thomas Kirk — Manawatū

Dylan Reder — Horowhenua-Kāpiti

Finn Restieaux — Nelson

Tom Sutherland — Marlborough

Non-Travelling Reserves

Curtis Heaphy — Manawatū

Hadleigh O’Leary — Whanganui

Brandon Roberts — Hawke’s Bay

Management

Coach – Dilan Raj — Whanganui

Assistant Coach | Manager – Luke Toynbee — Nelson

CD U17 SCHEDULE

10.30am Thursday 17th         CD U17 v Auckland U17, Lincoln Green

10.00am Friday 18th               CD U17 v ND U17, Bert Sutcliffe Oval

10.00am Sunday 20th            CD U17 v Otago U17, Bert Sutcliffe Oval

10.15am Monday 21st            CD U17 v Canterbury U17, Lincoln No.3

10.30am Wednesday 23rd     CD U17 v Wellington U17, Lincoln Green

Thursday 24th                         Finals day 1v2, 3v4, 5v6

Full tournament schedule https://www.nzc.nz/schedules/fixtures/all-levels/all-teams/mens-under-17-national-tournament-2018-19

Article added: Monday 14 January 2019