Colts keen for a crack at the NDCA competition

Narrabri District Cricket Association’s newest club will take the field for the first time next month when the Sign Print Stitch Colts join the local second grade competition.

Proudly supported by Sign Print Stitch and the RSL Sporting Body, the team has been established to create a space for local junior players who are looking to play in the senior comp in an environment where they can feel confident and supported while also being a part of a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.

Mick Dowdell has been the brains behind the team entering the NDCA competition this season, but he told The Courier that it was an idea that had been floated around Narrabri for a while.

Dowdell has been one of the best cricketers in town for many years now and is the ideal veteran to lead the team for its maiden campaign, and he will have other senior players with him such as Matt Tubner, Matt Wall, Matt McConnell, Gareth Lamond, David McInnes and Brendan Jenkins to help guide the next crop of NDCA players from the junior ranks into the senior competition.

“The transition into senior cricket from junior cricket isn’t always easy for junior players unless they have a parent or friend in the already-formed senior teams, so we wanted to create a space to make this move less daunting for the younger players,” Dowdell said.

“Last season, the NDCA second grade competition was made up of three teams, and as anyone would know, a three-team comp in seniors cricket isn’t ideal.

“It was time to finally put a plan into action and bring to life something that had been spoken about for many years.

“The aim for the new team is to have a mixture of junior players with a handful of adults on the team to help mentor them to build their skills and confidence. The adults on the team this season are a mixture of players’ dads and other local cricketers that have been in the cricket scene for years and would now like to pass on their knowledge and skills to the future of cricket.”

The Colts team is not affiliated with a first grade side, as the goal of the team is to build Narrabri district cricket on a broader spectrum and not just strengthen one club.

As the younger players develop more confidence and ability, they will then be encouraged to find a new club in the second or first grade comp to make way for more junior players to come through, which Dowdell said would hopefully strengthen Narrabri cricket for years to come.

Dowdell thanked the businesses who had helped turn this idea into a reality.

“We are extremely grateful to the major sponsors of the team,” he said.

“The RSL Sporting Body is a major supporter of Narrabri sports, getting behind teams across many codes as well as providing support to individuals when representing our town at higher level sport.

“Craig Summers (Sign Print Stitch) approached the team when he heard about the movement and wanted to get behind it in any way he could as he felt a strong connection to the ethos of the club.”

The NDCA annual general meeting was held earlier this month, at which the Colts nominated a team and were accepted.

A start date for the 2024/25 season was floated at that meeting as being Saturday, October 12, or possibly under lights on Friday, October 11. T20 cricket is expected to kick off the season, but that is still yet to be confirmed.