HAVING A BLAST: Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association’s new season underway

The 2023/24 Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association campaign is well and truly underway following the first round of the under-11s and under-16s comps on Saturday, October 7, and then the blasters divisions last Friday, October 13.

There are about 120 youngsters who have already signed up and the local association’s committee advised that registrations are still open.

With an almost even split between age groups, about half of the players are lining up on Friday evenings for the blasters cricket and then half are in action on Saturday mornings in the older age groups.

NDJCA’s chairman Luke Baker told The Courier that it had been a brilliant start to the season.

“It’s been fantastic,” he said.

“We’ve got that many kids it’s not funny. We could always have more though. We’d never say no to any new players.

“We’re ecstatic with the numbers.

“There’s lots of new faces, which is great. Kids we had never seen down there before.”

Baker said that the new format with age groups playing across Fridays and Saturdays was working well, and the players were enjoying that dynamic.

The NDJCA committee have introduced a player of the week award for the 2023/24 campaign to recognise impressive performances and great sportsmanship.

The winners across the opening two weeks in the uder-11s division were Chloe Holden and Harry Tout, and the winners in the under-16s were Angus Irwin and Lucas Dowdell.

The association also advised that an abundance of female junior cricketers had signed up for the 2023/24 season, and therefore they would endeavour to provide an all-girls environment for those players if they wish to take part in it.

The committee is currently deciding whether they will run an all-girls team in the under-11s division or create an all-girls competition at some stage during the season.

That decision will be based on the number of female player registrations this week.

Meanwhile, there are three NDJCA sides involved this season’s Central North representative competitions, which include under-11s, under-13s and under-15s teams.

The under-11s are playing in the Josh Hazelwood Shield comp alongside Inverell, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Amidale and Moree.

Those teams will all play against each other once ahead of the grand final on Sunday, February 25.

The NDJCA side will play away from home in round one this Sunday against Moree.

The under-15s are playing in tier two of the John Kilborn Shield comp with Armidale, Gunnedah and Inverell.

Those teams will all play against one another twice each across a six-round home and away season ahead of the grand final on Sunday, February 25.

The NDJCA team was scheduled to host Armidale in the opening round on Sunday, but that match has been rescheduled. Their round two clash will be played on Sunday, October 29, away from home against Inverell.

The under-13s team are playing in tier two of the George Denton Shield competition with Gunnedah, Inverell, Moree and Armidale.

Those sides will all play against each other once across a five-round season ahead of the February 25 decider.

The NDJCA side travelled to Inverell for round one on Sunday where they went down by 22 runs.

Inverell batted first after winning the toss and made 126 runs before the away side took their 10th and final wicket in the 40th over. Narrabri then made 104 before losing their 10th and final wicket in the 37th over.

There was still plenty to smile about despite the result as the Narrabri players produced some classy efforts with the bat and the ball, and also in the field.

Leading the way with the bat was Lucas Dowdell, who scored a game-best 67 runs off 98 balls after opening the batting.

He smashed eight boundaries and he also chipped in with a catch and a run out during the first innings of the match as he made his mark in the 13s comp while playing up an age group as the under-11s did not have a game.

With the ball, seven NDCA players took at least one wicket.

Hunter Barrett (2-15 off five overs) and Ryan McConnell (2-7 off three overs) claimed two each, while Harry Tout (1-5 off three overs), Michael Harris-Clayton (1-9 off five overs), Jackson Hayne (1-11 off three overs), Fletcher Whan (1-12 off four overs) and Archie Greenaway (1-20 off four overs) all took one each.

The second round of the under-13s George Denton Shield tier two comp will be played on Sunday, October 29, when Narrabri host Gunnedah.