Junior Club Cricket Registrations

Please contact Clubs outlined below for info about registering for the 2022 season.  

To register for a Manawatu Cricket Association Junior Club in 2022 follow the links below to the appropriate PlayHQ registration page.

If you have any questions about Junior Cricket contact Cole Freeman via email at cole@mca.org.nz.

For Junior Girls Cricket or the MCA Girls Cricket Club you can also contact Sally Wenham via email at girls@mca.org.nz

Manawatu Cricket Association Follows the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) models for Age & Stage cricket for Junior Players!

NZC Age & Stage is the new rules governing junior cricket in New Zealand.

The MCA really likes the new formats and are looking forward to seeing more kids enjoy their day playing cricket because of it. The rules will make for a fast paced, exciting game that keeps your son or daughter involved for longer.

Below is a Video that provides you with the basic premise of Age & Stage cricket.

NZ Cricket Age and Stage Video

For more information, go to https://www.nzc.nz/community/nzc-programmes-and-formats/age-stage

What are the Grades?

SmashPlay! (TERM 4) 

Smash Play junior – tamariki is a cricket programme for juniors (5 – 8 year olds), introduced by NZC for the 2022/23 season. We know children learn through game play. They develop skills, develop a love for an active and healthy lifestyle and enjoy being with friends and whānau. With Smash Play junior-tamariki, every session has more hits, more touches, more catches, more action. More fun.

What is Smash Play junior-tamariki?

• Smash Play junior-tamariki is a programme consisting of 30 games

- There are games to cater for all abilities, various group sizes or can be played at home.

• Each game is values-based – an approach that is based on enhancing personal and social engagement

• Each game develops fundamental movement, with cricket specific outcomes

- Essentially, getting children more active, developing skills with a cricket focus

What is a game-based approach?

We know there is not just one way to bowl or to bat. Cricket has evolved to include various styles, exciting techniques and many different ways to play. A game-based approach gets everyone involved and enables them to explore, learn and develop. Technique is developed individually, through the design of the games and the challenges faced. Not simply being rigidly taught by a coach

Smash Play will be run in clubs in Term 4. 

Dual Pitch: Year 2,3,4,5 is run on Tuesday nights from 5pm at Ongley Park. Dual Pitch is the first taste of organised games for our cricketers and has the advantage of all participants being actively involved in the game at all times. You are either batting, bowling or fielding depending on the stage of the game but never sitting on the sideline picking the daisies or looking for aeroplanes! It is run on Tuesday nights from 5pm at Ongley Park. Games last between 45-60 minutes; home in time for dinner. 

Incredi-Ball: Year 4,5,6 grade is designed to help with the transition from soft ball to hard ball. Games are played under the same format as Hard Ball cricket and players wear all of the required protective equipment but play with a softer ball. We strongly encourage those players moving on from Dual Pitch cricket to play in this grade before moving on to Hard Ball to help build confidence and get used to wearing cricket protective equipment. All games will be played at 8:30am on Saturday mornings with games finished by 11am. 

Hard Ball: Year 4/5/6 & 7/8 grades are played under the new “Age & Stage” rules provided by New Zealand Cricket. These rules mean more opportunities, quicker games and more enjoyment for all participants to ensure your children will want to come back season after season. All fixtures are played on Saturday mornings at 8:30am and vary in length of overs but all games are finished by 11am.

STARTING DATES FOR TERM 4 2022:

Smash Play: Week 1 Term 4

Dual Pitch: Tuesday 25th October

Junior Club Cricket (All Incrediball and Hardball grades): Saturday 29th October