Manawatū Cricket Association

Junior Club Cricket Registrations

Please contact Clubs outlined below for info about registering for the 2024 season.  

To register for a Manawatu Cricket Association Junior Club in 2024 follow the links below to the appropriate PlayHQ registration page.

If you have any questions about Junior Cricket contact Logan Hey via email at logan@mca.org.nz.

For Junior Girls Cricket or the MCA Girls Cricket Club you can also contact Sarah Calkin via email at girls@mca.org.nz

What are the Grades?

SmashPlay! (TERM 1 and 4) 

Smash Play junior – tamariki is a cricket programme for juniors (5 – 8 year olds), introduced by NZC for the 2022/23 season. We know children learn through game play. They develop skills, develop a love for an active and healthy lifestyle and enjoy being with friends and whānau. With Smash Play junior-tamariki, every session has more hits, more touches, more catches, more action. More fun.

What is Smash Play junior-tamariki?

• Smash Play junior-tamariki is a programme consisting of 30 games

- There are games to cater for all abilities, various group sizes or can be played at home.

• Each game is values-based – an approach that is based on enhancing personal and social engagement

• Each game develops fundamental movement, with cricket specific outcomes

- Essentially, getting children more active, developing skills with a cricket focus

What is a game-based approach?

We know there is not just one way to bowl or to bat. Cricket has evolved to include various styles, exciting techniques and many different ways to play. A game-based approach gets everyone involved and enables them to explore, learn and develop. Technique is developed individually, through the design of the games and the challenges faced. Not simply being rigidly taught by a coach

Incredi-Ball: Year 4,5,6 grade is designed to help with the transition from soft ball to hard ball. Games are played under the same format as Hard Ball cricket and players wear all of the required protective equipment but play with a softer ball. We strongly encourage those players moving on from Dual Pitch cricket to play in this grade before moving on to Hard Ball to help build confidence and get used to wearing cricket protective equipment. All games will be played at 8:30am on Saturday mornings with games finished by 11am. 

Hard Ball: Year 4/5/6 & 7/8 grades are played under the new “Age & Stage” rules provided by New Zealand Cricket. These rules mean more opportunities, quicker games and more enjoyment for all participants to ensure your children will want to come back season after season. All fixtures are played on Saturday mornings at 8:30am and vary in length of overs but all games are finished by 11am.

STARTING DATES FOR TERM 1 2024:

Smash Play: 4th March 

Junior Club Cricket (All Incrediball and Hardball grades): 10th February