In one of the first recorded interprovincial Maori Cricket matches in the modern era, Northern Maori played Wellington/Wairarapa Maori in two Twenty 20 matches at Owen Delany Park, Taupo on Sunday 23rd.
Northern Maori are selected from players in the Northern Districts Cricket region, incorporating Northland, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Hamilton, Bay of Plenty, and Poverty Bay.
RESULTS
Game 1: Wellington/Wairarapa 114 for 4 wickets [Casey Rangi 48,Sam Curtis 30] Northern Maori 115 for 3 wickets[Josh Bates 32 not out, Brook Simpson 32 not out]
Game 2: Northern Maori 152 for 7 wickets [Leighton Parsons 30,Tamati Clarke 48 not out, Josh Bates 38,James Widderstrom 2 for 27] Well/Wai 97 for 7 [Darren Cudby 3 for 9,Tamati Clarke 3 for 8, Leighton Parsons 2 for22].
HIGHLIGHTS
Powerful batting from Tamati Clarke [Ngapuhi/Ngati Porou] and Josh Bates [Ngati Porou]. Clarke has already played for the Northern Knights in one day games, while Bates was announced as Northern Districts Maori Player of the Season.
Northern Maori then finished their season programme with a win over a strong Waikato University team, also full of rep players from throughout Northern Districts, in a 40 over game played at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Monday – a great thrill for the Maori team to play at one of NZ cricket’s iconic test match grounds.
RESULTS
McCaw Lewis Northern Maori 195/7 in 40 overs (Brook Simpson 46, Josh Bates 30, Leighton Parsons 41*, Danyn Stewart 25 off 12 balls including 3 sixes; Tom Clout 2-24 off 7, Henry Cooper 2-39 off 8, Freddy Walker 2-42 off 8) beat Waikato University 188/9 in 40 overs (Michael Dodunski 85 off 87, Danny Wiremu Gibbs 23, Josh Bates 4-30 off 8, Leighton Parsons 3-23 off 8).
Northern Maori had earlier toured to Rarotonga’ winning 4 games against the Cook Islands national team . Bates, Shaun Simpson and Brook Simpson [Ngati Awa]and Stephen Rae {Ngati Maru/Ngati Ranginui] all scored half centuries, with captain Leighton Parsons [Ngati Porou]taking 5 wickets in one of the games.
Photo - Margot Butcher