The cricket season is upon us and to celebrate the start of the season it is “girls only” on Saturday at Hagley Park.
Members from the New Zealand women’s cricket team the White Ferns, and Canterbury Magicians will be down at the park holding a special Gala Day for girls who are interested in cricket.
Over 100 girls from clubs and schools from around Canterbury will come together to participate in drills and skills, talk with the women’s players about their experiences and win fun prizes. Girls who aren’t affiliated with clubs can also come along and sign up on the day
The Gala Day, which has been going for three years, is a joint initiative between Canterbury Cricket and the Christchurch Junior Cricket Association. Canterbury cricket Development Manager Mike Harvey said there is an increasing number of girls wanting to play the sport, which is a positive step for the development of the women’s game. “We’ve increased the number of girls’ teams this year which is great. There are also a lot more opportunities for girls to go travelling with cricket. We’ve got teams going to Australia, Auckland and Wellington, which is an exciting experience for the players,” he said. “The Gala Day is a fun way to celebrate girls’ cricket and to launch the start of the season.”
Canterbury women’s cricket ambassador and former White Ferns captain Haidee Tiffen will be on site to help out with the activities and to speak with media. She’ll also be joined by a number of notable women’s players, including White Fern batsman Sara McGlashan.
McGlashan said she enjoys participating in promoting cricket to girls and believes it is important for young girls to have positive role models within the sport. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for young girls to kick start their season by meeting and interacting with the Magicians and White Ferns,” McGlashan said. “It’s great the representative players are available and it’s a fantastic opportunity for all to promote the game.”
What: Gala Day for girls’ cricket
When: Saturday 16 October
Time: 9am-11am
Where: Polo grounds, Hagley Park, Christchurch
