Gillette Cup 2022 Metro Preliminary Festival
The Christchurch Metro Cricket run Gillette Cup 2022 Preliminary Festival this week on Tuesday and Wednesday at Polo Grounds playing under COVID conditions and finally the weather played it’s part. The Festival is used to provide cricket for school sides who play in the Youth competition to compete as well as an opportunity for the selected sides to proceed to the next round of the competition.
6 teams played 5 round competition, with the final rankings based on points (5 points for a win, 3 points for a tie or no result). If teams are on the same number of points, net run rate will be used to separate the sides. Normal T15/T20 rules apply (excluding Super Overs). The top two teams from this competition enter straight into the quarter final stage. Third place will enter the play-off process with the Canterbury District representative.
The teams were St. Thomas, Riccarton HS, Papanui HS, Middleton Grange, Burnside HS and Cashmere HS and the final result were not clear until the final rounds with both St Thomas and Papanui HS winning 3 matches on the first day. North West Youth Cricket assists by providing the schools with players lists and help from Parents for Burnside, Papanui and recently Middleton Grange, as well as following our Cashmere High School players.
One of the highlights from day one was a hundred knock by Isaac Milne for Middleton Grange vs Riccarton HS – a captains knock, as well as a 5o for Alfie Bell for Burnside High.
Isaac Milne
St Thomas ended up unbeaten and went through in top spot, but the other two places were not finalised until the last round on the second day where Cashmere and Papanui were tied on 3 wins each with Cashmere HS getting the 2nd spot on run rate. Congratulations to the Ben Cox lead Papanui High School side who came third and they will go through and play in the Canterbury Districts Round. I can’t remember the last time Papanui HS made it through to the next so up the mighty Nui!
Papanui High School Huddle. Photo Credit = Papanui High Sport FB page
Thank you to all the schools, parents and players for participating in this tournament and I am sure there was plenty inter-school banter between the boys, even though they come together on a Saturday to represent North-West Youth Cricket. Some very positive feedback from Keryn Ambler from CMCA who writes
It has been fantastic to see some cricket being played and some real quality cricket with in that too. You could tell that the players were keen to get out there after some weekend washouts!
