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Two Bay Players Selected for Northern District Maori

Two Bay of Plenty cricket players have been selection in the ND Maori team to tour the Cook Island for a week starting from the 21st September 2013.

Bay of Plenty representative Steven Rae and Rees Uerata have been selected in the initiative developed by NDCA to boost Maori participation in the game. Steven Rae is an accomplished Bay of Plenty representative all rounder, equally adept with bat and ball with best bowling figures of 4/27. Steven is another to develop from the Tauranga Boys College first eleven pathway, which have produced recent Black Caps Daniel Flynn and Kane Williamson.

Rees Uerata has played premier club cricket for both Te Puke and Central in Rotorua. In recent weeks he has been working with Rotorua Cricket Development Manager Dave Richardson to hone his skills prior to the Cook Islands trip. Rees also recently attended the Rotorua Coaching level one course and hopes to further his cricket career in the coaching ranks.

Captained by Waikato Valley skipper Leighton Parsons and managed by Northern Districts selector and operations manager Pat Malcon, the team will play Cook Islands representative sides in a series of Twenty20s under lights and promote the development of Cook Islands Cricket - an ICC affiliate nation assisted by Northern Districts Cricket. "It's going to be a highly meaningful visit for us, not only because of the close relationship between Northern Districts and Cook Islands Cricket, but because of the significant historical links and cultural familiarity between Cooks Islands Maori and New Zealand Maori," said Northern Maori wicketkeeper and coach Graeme Stewart. "We will be playing just kilometres from the spot said to be the departure point for the fleet of waka that set off for Aotearoa, including our Tainui canoe. That first team haka on Rarotongan soil will be very special to us as Maori."

Launched in 2011, Northern Maori will also play its traditional fixture against Waikato University this summer, with further matches and dates to be announced during the season. Said Northern Districts CEO Peter Roach, "Northern Districts is very proud of taking the national lead in growing Maori participation in cricket. It's an area that has historically been left to languish, but one we value in our region. "We have significant Maori communities in Poverty Bay, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland and I have no doubt that there are talents waiting to be uncovered in those communities. Northern Maori was conceived as an inspiring pathway for young Maori sportsmen and we are already seeing results in increased interest from the Maori sporting community."