Leveraging Hawke Cup success is a priority

Retaining the Hawke Cup and ramping up its marketing strategy are goals of the Southland Cricket Association.

General manager Jason Domigan said Southland cricket must use its success in the Hawke Cup to lift the sport’s profile in the south and to attract new players.

‘‘That’s our biggest challenge and we’ll be pushing it quite hard [this year],’’ Domigan said.

Southland won the Hawke Cup in Auckland last March and will receive its first challenge at Queens Park on February 1-3. Domigan wasn’t sure who the challenger would be but thought either Mid Canterbury or Otago Country.

Last season’s Hawke Cup success was the first time Southland had won it in 26 years.

The Southland team has recorded big scores against Mid Canterbury and North Otago recently to help prepare it for the first challenge. Southland chalked up more than 470 runs in both games.

‘‘We need to build big scores. We showed [against Mid Canterbury and North Otago] that we do have the ability.’’

Domigan said the team, led by Shaun Fitzgibbon, had a good mix of youth and experience. Ryan Duffy is back after taking a break from cricket.

Meanwhile, Mark Reid, formerly of Christchurch, has replaced James Carr as the Southland Cricket Association’s development officer.

Carr returned to England in the spring.