While the multitude of junior cricket players in the Western Bay of Plenty had an early hit out in the weekend before the recent school holidays – the junior cricket competition season starts this weekend.

Hundreds of aspiring players, who have visions of emulating the feats of current Western Bay Black Caps Daniel Flynn, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Graeme Aldridge, will take to the parks of the Western Bay on the first day of the (official) season.

Youngsters from Katikati to Te Puke will be in high anticipation on Friday evening as they dream off becoming a star of the future, before walking out onto the numerous pitches of the region on Saturday morning.

The strong senior cricket competitions in the Western Bay of Plenty, is the result of a Western Bay junior cricket pathway that provides a direct route to the senior game.

Youngsters are introduced to the game in division three, which caters for year three and four players starting their pathway journey, in a modified form of the game.

All div three games are played at Fergusson Park, where the emphasis in on all the youngsters getting a turn at batting and bowling.

Division two is the next progressive step in the pathway, and caters for year four and five players.

Division one brings the introduction to a hard cricket ball for the year five and six players.

The intermediate premier division caters for the serious year seven and eight players, with plenty of competition also provided in the intermediate reserve grade.

The real success story of last season was the renaissance of secondary school cricket in the Western Bay of Plenty.

A Baywide first XI competition was the transition to senior cricket for the many of the participants.

Saturday junior and senior secondary schools cricket attracted a good number of school teams in the Western Bay.

An added attraction this year is the return of secondary schools Twenty20 competition on a Wednesday afternoon.

The fast paced game gives a number of talented youngsters who play other sports at the weekend an opportunity to put bat to ball in mid-week action.

Western Bay Cricket administrators are also endeavouring to put together a girls' competition to cater for the ever-growing desire of girls to play the game.