Blind Cricket Festival at Bay Oval

Posted: Wednesday, 7 October 2015

Blind Cricket is kicking off the continued revival of the game in New Zealand, with a Bay of Plenty Blind Cricket Festival Day, to be held at the Bay Oval Mount Maunganui on Sunday (11 October 2015).

Blind Cricket was extremely strong in New Zealand during the 1990’s, with the game being played in a number of regions throughout the country. However playing numbers dropped dramatically, before the New Zealand Blind Cricket Association restructured and put in place a strategic plan to develop the game, a few years ago.

A Bay of Plenty Blind Cricket team was formed in February 2014, under the auspices of Bay of Plenty Blind Sports Club. Initially there were just a handful of players, which has grown to over a dozen team members. The Blind Cricket Day on Sunday is about recruiting more interested blind and partially sighted players and publicizing the game to the wider community.

It is hoped that the re-start of a national competition, will lead to formation of further New Zealand Blind Cricket representative teams. On Sunday, blind cricket players from Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Manukau South are coming together, to play a 40 over game on the same ground that the Black Caps will play Sari Lanka during January 2016.

There is also an invitation, for fully sighted supporters to don simulation spectacles and experience blind cricket during the day. The main adaption of Blind Cricket is an audible ball filled with ball bearings with the ball being bowled under arm.

Teams are made up from players from three sight categories’, which range from strong prescription glasses to totally blind. The totally blind team members are in keen demand as they earn double points for runs.

During the coming summer months, there will be a Blind Cricket Summer Series involving teams from the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Manukau South. This weekend’s Blind Cricket activities, at the home of cricket in the Bay of Plenty, is an ideal time to check out the sport while enjoying a day in the sun.

BOP Blind Cricket Festival Day

When: Sunday 11 October 2015
Where: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Start Time: 10am

For further information contact
Steph Jobson 07 544 2314 021 070 6554

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