Developing pathways - what’s in store for NZ’s emerging

Kiwi Cricket Kōrero host and writer Ellie Indie writes about the current pathways system at the national and inter-state levels. (Originally written 3/11/22) The Central Districts Cricket Association recently announced the revival of their Central Hinds A team after 37 years, hopefully providing a middle ground for emerging players on the benches and outskirts of the Senior team, and also well-performing club cricketers on the rise in the region. It’s a massive step towards the development of crafting NZ’s future finest; however, the current pathway system simply isn’t fit for purpose.

The announcement takes the active Women’s A-sides to 3 — joining Auckland and Wellington, but quite frankly that’s 3 teams too short. For a nation looking to invest in its youth, via national contracts; development matches, new roles at the NZC designed for it and an upcoming U19 World Cup — they need to step up their game in player development.

Currently, the pathway roughly looks like School / College tourneys — often alongside club cricket, Provincial Age Group tournaments (U19 only for women’s), and Provincial Senior side. On paper it looks good, however, there’s a massive gap between Age Group tournaments and the Senior team. On top of that, there’s no guarantee that U19 competitors can graduate into the Senior side, leaving them either on the benches going months without some game time, or banished back to the leagues to prove their worth once more. There’s a lot of flow with no place to go.

It also doesn’t take into account players who are over nineteen and have potential unutilised as they don't have the tournaments to play in, a provincial A/rep team or an above club-level league to participate in — though there used to be an Under 21’s before they revamped it to a younger age limit. These instances can be seen more in sides like Otago and ND, who don’t have leagues and systems in place to support their young stars onto the pathway towards the Sparks and the Brave.

When you take a look at how the men’s system runs, it makes you question why these initiatives aren’t in place for women. There’s an all-format Provincial A tournament played frequently between all teams, not just 3, a U17 and a U19 tournament. It could even be worth bringing back the defunct U21 model. It’s hard to understand why there are not these competitions in place to satisfy the emerging demand.

Though there is progress in parts of the country, and it’s worth celebrating.

The CDCA ran a multi-format tournament — Central Super League — to fill the gap between U19 to the Top Level. Though the tournament proved successful, shining a light on CD’s latest stars Anna and Kate Gaging, this will now be discontinued to make way for their A side. The Hinds seem to be leading from the front with their emerging talents, their U19 side won the Women’s age group tournament — and now they’ll be provided with a platform and opportunities in the A side while they wait for their Hinds call-up.

Auckland run a similar comp at a lower level, alongside their somewhat newly established A side as well as their ACA academy. They often attract the majority of the Northern Districts contegient since there’s no proper system in place further North. This may change shortly given ND’s planned A team fixtures this weekend against the Hinds A.

Wellington has a great club cricket scene, a lot of space in their contracts list for domestic players and an active A side and emerging XIs often put to the test vs club sides around the country — as well as intra-squad games. It would be fair to say they’re on par with, or maybe even ahead of, the Central Districts in terms of investing and concentrating on the youth. Over the past 2 years, they’ve had representative sides play club teams based in the CD area, like Manawatu — a side featuring Scotland’s Priyanaz Chatterji and recent Hinds contractee Georgia Atkinson.

Their A side also took the field at the beginning of the year against Auckland A, of which they lost 2 out of the 3 matches — but gained plenty of experience and knowledge of the game they’ll take with them to the next level.

Otago recently announced that women’s club cricket would be returning to Dunedin to close the gap in their pathways in the form of the ‘Dunedin Female League’. It’ll consist of 4 teams in a multi-format competition, allowing players to learn their trade and some game time instead of watching their Sparks from the sidelines. They’ve also held a few intra-region age group matches over the past few years, as well as a district-wide U19 comp, though only held over 2 days a year.

Development is happening, both on the playing field and around it — and it's coming at some rate too. It’s looking hopeful for the landscape of New Zealand’s emerging women’s cricketers; the next generation will be a force to be reckoned with. There’s still progress to be made — club cricket leagues & tournaments should ideally be in every province, A-sides to be introduced back into every side, and stronger pathways and support systems should be implemented. But for now; there is progress.