There'll be heaps of healthy trans-tasman niggle when the first-up New Zealand and Australia masters indoor cricket series starts at the Bay Indoor Centre at Mt Maunganui next week.

The series will also demonstrate that trans-Tasman rivalry traverses the ages. Four teams apiece representing the over 35s, the over 40s, the over 45s and over 50s will compete for the first ever Trans-Tasman Trophy.

A five game series in each grade will decide where the trophy resides for the next 12 months.

Two Tauranga players will feature – Dean O'Brien in the over 40s and Darren Bidois in the over 50s.

A truce will be called during the series so teams, their management and officials can visit the tourist traps of Rotorua.

The Bay Indoor Centre is an impressive indoor cricket resource with three full sized courts.

Alongside the indoor cricket courts, are four indoor cricket training lanes which are used by ND and Bay of Plenty Cricket players.

Local players will often workout in the nets alongside Black Caps Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Corey Anderson, Daniel Flynn and Dean Brownlie when they're in town.

Masters indoor cricket happens on a world cup scale but never before on just a New Zealand and Australia scale.

The inaugural Trans-Tasman Masters Indoor Cricket tournament will be held from Wednesday October 18 to Saturday October 21.