New Zealand Blind Cricket Association INC.

🏏 Smash Play All Abilities Cricket is back!

Come along and give cricket a go in a fun, supportive, and inclusive environment. This programme is designed for young people of all abilities to build skills, confidence, and connection through sport.

📅 Dates: 12th, 19th & 26th March
⏰ Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
📍 Location: Logan Park Football Turfs
💰 Cost: Free of charge

Scan the QR code to register or get in touch to learn more. We would love to see you there! Here’s the registration link: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/499016

Best of luck to all players taking part in the National Cricket Inclusion Championships in Perth next week! Check out squads and details in the post below!

It was great to be back on the pitch yesterday and looking forward to doing it all again in Auckland and Waikato in the New Year! Flick us a message if you’re keen to get in to blind cricket - we have a player development pathway that can grow you in the sport.

Get ready! The 2nd Edition of the Samarth Championship for the Blind kicks off on 12th May 2025! 🏆

Hyundai India

Are you new to scoring on PlayHQ? Do you feel like a refresher session would help you before scoring again? Why not attend one of our NZC PlayHQ E-Scoring Training sessions! 📲

Sessions will take place online between 29 January - 7 February.

LEARN MORE > https://bit.ly/4huXj4v

! We absolutely LOVE a good throw back… and when it comes to history in New Zealand - we’re all in!!!

Blind Cricket started in NZ in the mid-80’s when a team from Australia came across to introduce a summer blind team sport to NZ. Sure, we had hockey for winter and fishing all year round but needed something more.

Blind Cricket took off in the 90’s! At one time there were up to 120 people playing across the motu. They had one tournament annually which was usually played for a week starting around 27 December and finishing 7-10 days later. Teams came from Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Christchurch and Otago.

There was also a time where - to keep players active - an indoor season was played with a tournament over the June long weekend.

Blind Cricket took off- like most sports in New Zealand comes in ebbs and tides…. Ups and downs…. But looking back on these photos, is a reminder of one of NZ’s biggest blind sports in its greatest domestic days!

These photos were taken at the 1997-1998 National Tournament which was held in Hamilton. A team was selected at this tournament which later went on to represent NZ at the 1998 inaugural blind cricket (50 over) World Cup in India.

Please, of you recognise anyone in the photos, tag them or add their names in the comments under the team photo!!

(Acknowledging the Fellows whanau who returned these photos after Neil’s passing and Donna for the reflections of “way back when”).

A to when was thriving I across the motu!

SUMMER SERIES (game 4): Manukau South Blind Sports Club v Hawkes Bay Blind Sports Club (in Taupo).

The toss was won by Manukau South who elected to bowl first and chase the runs. Hawkes Bay opened with Mark Precce and Mike Marsh.

Deacan Dunn took Mark out with a clean bowl on his 2nd ball, a great start for Man Sth. Hawkes Bay had to recover from this early loss which meant trying to hold wickets and use time. A partnership formed between Marsh and Kingsley Sivewright up until the 7th over where Marsh was out LBW to Annalise May.

From there the run rate slowed for a couple of overs before the loss of another wicket. Scott Howell came in and a quick partnership between Sivewright and a Howell helped boost the runs before quick hands by Deacan Dunn as keeper had Howell run out for 17.

The wickets fell steadily with special mention of a rare catch behind stumps by Dunn as keeper. The first maiden over of the season was also bowled in this innings by Ben Fellow.

The Hawkes Bay team batted out the innings putting up a score of 105/6 off the 20 overs.

Manukau South opened with Parveen Shankar and Deacan Dunn. They were slow in getting started but once they found their rhythm they steadily got the required run rate under control. Their partnership put up 49 runs before Dunn retired in the 6th over.

Arun Kasim was the next batsman contributing 10 runs to the total before some great fielding from Scott Howell had Kasim caught of Mike Marsh’s bowling in the 14th over. Shankar also retired on 40 before Marquele McCaskill and Ming Ming Edgar came to the crease to score the remaining runs.

Man Sth chased down the required score in the 17th over. Final result, Manukau South won, 107/1 after 16.5 overs.

Check out the scoresheet at https://www.crichq.com/ /600092

Thank you to our Summer Series supporters
CricHQ
Blind Sport New Zealand - BSNZ inc

PHOTO CAPTION: Group photo of Manukau South team and Hawkes Bay team gathered around a Blind Sport New Zealand banner.