Masters cricket a big hit in Waikato

They hail from rural Waikato with nicknames such as the Geyserland Googlies, Cambridge Antiques and the Limestone Cowboys.

Masters cricket is their game and they’re part of a global movement marking record participation in the sport from people over the age of 40.

In the Waikato there are about 12 teams playing in an unofficial over40s competition during the summer. They organise the competition themselves and supply their own umpires.

Sport Waikato and Northern Districts Cricket are offering the teams help in the hope of developing the age group further. It could mean selection of a Northern Districts masters team.

The two organisations met at Seddon Park in Hamilton to speak with some of the teams and clubs playing over 40s cricket. The ideas discussed included setting up a masters competition, a central database of players and support over for 40s Northern Districts representative teams.

Community cricket officer for Sport Waikato, Cliff Dickeson, said over 40s cricket was rapidly increasing in popularity throughout the cricketing world.

‘‘We know that in England and Australia there is enormous competition for the over 40s, 50s and 70s. England has actually selected a national team now, for the over 60s.’’

He said teams playing in the over 40s competition in the Waikato would each have about 25 players to call upon, playing about 12 to 14 games per season. Some were former rep players, others were people looking to reconnect with a sport to become more active.

Dickeson, who is also Northern Districts spin bowling coach, aims to develop interest in the masters age group further and connect teams with an organised competition, if that’s what the teams wanted.

He said the players and clubs who met at Seddon Park would now go back to their members to get feedback on the ideas put forward.

If you are keen to be involved as a player, scorer, umpire, or simply a supporter male or female please contact Cliff Dickeson at cliff@ndca.co.nz or on 0274802789