With club cricket just around the corner, let’s take a look back at the top performing cricket clubs across Auckland and Northern Districts for the 2023-24 season.
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AUCKLAND:
East Coast Bays CC celebrate winning the Jeff Crowe One-Day competition
Following a successful season in 2022-23, East Coast Bays again enjoyed a winning season – taking out both the Hedley Howarth Two-Day competition and the Jeff Crowe One-Day competition.
Bays won five-from-seven matches to edge out Parnell CC in Auckland Cricket’s major Two-Day competition.
Their One-Day final saw ECBCC chase down Takapuna CC’s 190/9 with six wickets to spare.
Westlake Boys’ student, Matthew Ross (4-33), bowled an important spell for his side while Auckland Aces batsman Cole Briggs (72 off 66) led the way with the bat.
Grafton CC will look forward to challenging for the Hedley Howarth next season after taking out the Tom Hellaby Two-Day competition.
Auckland Cricket Men’s Club Cricketer of the Year, Taine Bayly (45 wickets & 531 runs), was a big part of his team’s success – helping GUCC to five victories from six matches.
Parnell CC upset an unbeaten Auckland University side to grasp Twenty20 honours for the season.
Harry Miller (37) and Aniket Parikh’s (46) contributions helping their side to a defendable total of 155/7.
Hibiscus Coast held their nerve against Birkenhead CC to take home the Richard Jones One-Day trophy for 2023-24.
Netherlands representative Max O’Dowd stepped up for his team, scoring a match-winning 84* to see his side to a two-wicket victory.
- East Coast Bays CC (Hedley Howarth Two-Day Competition),
- Grafton CC (Tom Hellaby Two-Day Competition),
- East Coast Bays CC (Jeff Crowe One-Day Competition),
- Hibiscus Coast CC (Richard Jones One-Day Competition),
- Parnell CC (Premier Men’s T20).
Parnell CC’s Premier Women celebrate one of their two titles for the season
Parnell CC’s Premier Women made it a clean sweep in ACA’s Women’s Premier 40-Over and Twenty20 competitions.
Parnell’s bowling proved the difference in both their One-Day and T20 grand finals, keeping their opposition under 100 runs on both occasions.
In the Prichard Cup final, Women’s Club Cricketer of the Year, Yasmeen Kareem (43) fronted up for her team, Sam Barriball (34) helping the team to a competitive 119/6.
In response, Olivia Anderson (4-12) proved economical and effective, helping restrict Auckland University to just 98 runs.
The Twenty20 final saw a similar storyline play out, with Kareem (39 runs) again leading from the front for her side.
Parnell were again able to restrict Takapuna CC to 98 runs in their 20 overs, with three bowlers taking at least two wickets.
Sam Barriball (20) again combined with Kareem (39), to steer their side to victory in the 18th over.
- Parnell CC (Women’s - Prichard Cup, 50 Over)
- Parnell CC (Women’s – Pearl Dawson, T20)
NORTHLAND:
Kaipara Flats' Premier Men pose after ther One-Day final
Kaipara Flats hold bragging rights in the Northland region after claiming both the Premier Men’s One-Day and Two-Day titles.
Kaipara went unbeaten through six matches to emerge as the rightful victors of the Two-Day competition.
KFCC also proved themselves as the form team in the One-Day competition, putting together comprehensive victories in both their semi and grand final.
Kyran Dill (4-22) and Connor Wilson (4-12) pulled off strong efforts with the ball across both of those matches to secure silverware for his side.
Kaipara’s Luke Beaven (48 wickets @ 7.06) and Sam Wilson (564 runs) were the standout players for their team, earning Premier Player of the Year and Batter of the Year, respectively.
Unfortunately for KFCC, their luck ran out in the Twenty20 final, losing in a nail biter against Duracrete City Premiers.
Bowling first, Kieran Nelson (2-14) managed to strike early, taking two big wickets including that of Sam Wilson.
The Duracrete bowling unit bowled economically throughout the rest of the innings, restricting KFCC to 106/9.
In response, the chase went down to the wire – Monte Rolston (45* runs) the hero for DCCC, guiding his team to a strong position and hitting the winning runs off the very last ball.
- Kaipara Flats CC (Oxford Trust - Premier Men’s Two Day)
- Kaipara Flats CC (Lion Red Premier Men’s One Day)
- Duracrete City CC (Premier Men’s T20 Trophy)
COUNTIES MANUKAU:
Manukau City CC picked up a comprehensive victory in their Twenty20 final
Honours were shared in Counties Manukau with three different clubs winning the Two-Day, One-Day, and Twenty20 competitions.
Morrinsville-Piako Cricket Club took home the prestigious Spark Cup in 2023-24, winning five-from-six matches throughout the inter-district competition.
This culminated in a 7-wicket victory over Manukau City CC, a match which Morrinsville-Piako won convincingly.
Bowling first, MPCC were able to take early wickets before a middle-order surge saw Manukau get to a respectable 199/9.
Solid contributions from Jacob Gordon (61), Brogan Hayman (55) and captain Noah Gray (30*) seeing MPCC canter home in the 29th over.
Karaka Cricket Club continued their winning tradition from the past season, taking home the WH Taylor Two-Day Shield.
The team won four-from-five matches to sneak past Weymouth Cricket Club’s Premiers.
Marcel Marconi smashed an unbeaten 80 off 53 balls in the final week of competition to help his side chase down a total against Manukau City, and to secure the trophy for the winter.
Manukau City Cricket Club got their revenge in the Twenty20 competition, however, chasing down KCC’s total of in just 13 overs in the Grand Final.
Northern Districts representative Sandeep Patel (80* off 38) did most of the damage, blasting 7 x sixes, while Roney Sharma (4-12) impressed in their first innings with four important wickets.
- Karaka CC (WH Taylor Shield - Men’s Two Day)
- Morrinsville-Piako CC (Spark Regional Competition – Men’s 50 Over)
- Manukau City CC (Men’s T20)
HAMILTON:
Hamilton Old Boys' celebrate a win in the Premier Two-Day competition.
Hamilton Old Boys’ Cricket Club were another club to enjoy a successful 2023-24 season, winning the Two-Day competition for a second year running as well as picking up the Twenty20 trophy.
Hamilton’s Premier Grade ended as a two horse race, with Hamilton Old Boys’ CC meeting Marist Suburbs’ Cricket Club in the final of each competition.
Old Boys’ went unbeaten in the Twenty20 competition, sneaking past Marist Suburbs in the competition decider.
The match saw Old Boys’ chase down Marist’s total of 147/7 in the final over of the innings, with Rubal Bhagat (10*) striking the winning runs with four balls to spare.
Zach Smith (42 off 21) played a pivotal lower order innings for HOBCC, while Bhagat (2-27) returned the best bowling figures earlier in the day.
HOBCC pulled off an unlikely outright victory to win the Howden Two-Day Cup, after losing first innings points.
While no single batter reached a half-century, Marist managed to push their 1st innings total to 191/10 thanks to five players contributing 28+ runs.
Josh Brown was the standout player for HOBCC in the 1st innings, taking four wickets (4-38) and tallying 68 runs.
Two wickets in the first over of the 2nd innings set the tone for Old Boys’, who managed to bowl out Marist for just 134 runs.
Josh Brown (107) was again the hero for HOBCC - scoring a century and getting his side within 30 runs of the target.
Despite a late flurry of wickets, HOBCC’s lower order managed to finish the job – sneaking home with one wicket to spare.
Marist Suburbs got their taste of victory in the One-Day competition, putting together a strong performance to ruin Old Boys’ chances of a clean sweep.
Ross Laidlaw (70) and Nicholas Farrell (70*) controlled the Marist innings superbly, providing stability and seeing the total to 252/8.
Gogol Basu (4-34) was the standout for Marist with the ball, while New Zealand U19 representative, Ewald Shreuder (2-44), took two wickets.
- Hamilton Old Boys’ CC (Howden Cup - Men’s Two Day)
- Marist Suburbs CC (AHS Holland Plate - Men’s 50 Over)
- Hamilton Old Boys’ CC (RM Dodunski Trophy – Men’s T20)
- Morrinsville Piako CC (Waikato Premier Women’s T20) – Waikato Valley & Hamilton combined
- ABANDONED (Waikato Women’s 35 Over) – Waikato Valley & Hamilton combined
WAIKATO VALLEY:
Morrinsville Piako's Premier Women had a summer to remember, only losing one game across the whole 2023-24 season
Morrinsville Piako Cricket Club took out the Premier Women’s Twenty20 competition last season, competed for across Waikato Valley & Hamilton.
MPCC went unbeaten in the Twenty20’s and only lost one match in the 35 Over competition, signalling their dominance across the grade.
MPCC were able to total 127/6 against Cambridge Cricket Club in the Grand Final, largely thanks to Shelby Nicholls (36), Ruby Makenham (32) and Catherine Hardie (30).
Impressively, MPCC used nine bowlers to help defend their total, six of these going at an economy rate of 6.0 or less.
A rained out final round saw Cambridge Cricket Club take home the Women’s 35 Over competition, winning five-from-six matches to prove themselves worthy recipients.
Cambridge CC proved themselves as the team to beat in their Two-Day competition
St Paul's Collegiate went unbeaten through four matches to win the Waikato Valley Premier Twenty20 competition, and in doing so, spoiling Cambridge Cricket Club’s chance of a clean sweep across all formats.
In the Twenty20 competition final, SPC held Cambridge to 124/5 thanks to handy spells from Finn Bell (2-18) and Tom Yetsenga (2-19).
Their chase was led by Max Makenham (39 off 21), who bludgeoned the CCC attack to have the schoolboys in a strong position.
Liam Fisher (24*) and Yetsenga (13*) sealed the deal for the schoolboys, seeing their team home in the 18th over.
Cambridge Cricket Club would make amends in the Two-Day format – piling on a whopping 1st innings total of 330/7 to secure a win against Morrinsville Piako CC.
Waikato Valley representative, Dillon Kelliher (154), compiled a masterful century to set his team up for a big 1st innings score.
The 166-ball innings included 15 x fours and 5 x sixes, well supported by James Field (67) at the other end.
In response, four wickets to CCC’s Daniel Kearsley (4-9) and two wickets apiece to Ben Winslade & Patrick Tomsett seeing Cambridge to a 1st innings victory.
Cambridge also picked up the Mike Cotter 50 Over Cup to cap off a strong season for the club’s premier men.
- St Paul's Collegiate 1st XI (Presidents Cup - Men’s T20)
- Cambridge CC (Mike Cotter Cup - Men’s 50 Over)
- Cambridge CC (Champions Trophy - Men’s Two Day)
- Morrinsville Piako CC (Waikato Premier Women’s T20) – Waikato Valley & Hamilton combined
- ABANDONED (Waikato Women’s 35 Over) – Waikato Valley & Hamilton combined
BAY OF PLENTY:
Mount Maunganui celebrate a hard-fought victory in their Twenty20 competition
Mount Maunganui Cricket Club enjoyed a successful year in Bay of Plenty’s Premier Club competitions, winning both the Two-Day and Twenty20 competitions.
Batting first in the final round of the Two-Day competition, MMCC were able to control the match through veteran batter Peter Drysdale (114 runs) and Ben Pomare (58 runs) – who combined to see their side to a first innings total of 265 runs.
Former Northern Districts representative, Tony Goodin (4-33), showed his class in MMCC’s bowling innings – taking four key wickets to secure a comprehensive win for his team.
The Twenty20 competition final saw the Mount Maunganui meet the Otumoetai CC Cadets in a much closer affair.
Again asked to bat first, MMCC were able to post a respectable 115/5 through Drysdale (38*) and Niven Dovey (24).
Otumoetai opening batsman, Fergus Lellman (29 runs), blasted four sixes in response before MMCC put the clamps on – taking regular wickets and bowling economically to see Mount Maunganui to a 12-run victory.
Otumoetai went one better in the 50-Over competition, winning the Versatile Williams Cup over Greerton CC.
Bowling first, a remarkable spell from Joel Griffiths (3-2 off 6.3) gave Otumoetai the upper hand.
He was well supported by Ollie Curtis (3-31) and Liam Collett (2-16), also contributing valuable spells for their team.
Marcel Collett (38* runs) led the charge for Otumoetai, anchoring the innings and securing a 7-wicket victory for the Cadets.
Pāpāmoa Cricket Club’s upward rise since joining the Baywide ranks four seasons ago, continued when they took out the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup Plate title-decider.
Batting first on their home track, Nikhil Vishwanath (90 runs) played a crucial innings for Pāpāmoa, with Pieter Osborne (32) playing a valuable supporting hand.
A number of Geyser batters got starts but determined Pāpāmoa bowling removed them before kicking on.
Bowling honours belonged to Michael Burns (4-24) and Keagan Bromilow (3-33), seeing Pāpāmoa to a 57-run victory
- Mount Maunganui CC (Bayleys Bay Cup - Men’s Two Day)
- Otumoetai Cadets CC (Versatile Williams Cup - Men’s 50 Over)
- Pāpāmoa CC (Versatile Williams Plate - Men’s 50 Over)
- Mount Maunganui CC (Baywide T20 - Men’s T20)
