The fourth day of January 2020 sees the start of an annual migration of young Western Bay of Plenty cricket players to Hawkes Bay to hone their skills and enthusiasm for the game at the annual Riverbend Junior Cricket tournament.

The annual Riverbend junior cricket tournaments dates back to 1979 and today is coordinated and organised by the Hawkes Bay Cricket Association.

The Hawkes Bay tournament has been a very successful breeding ground for a number of first class and New Zealand cricketers - with Ross Taylor, Jamie How, Jeetan Patel, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Ben Stokes (England), Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, Doug Bracewell, Trent Boult, Sarah McGlashen and Sophie Devine playing in past years.

Western Bay of Plenty Cricket started the journey to Riverbend in 2013, as part of their age-group pathway. Graduates from the early journeys to Hawkes Bay, who have made the step up to senior representative cricket, include New Zealand Under 19 keeper Ben Pomare along with current Bay of Plenty representative players Cameron Riley, Jacob Logan, Dominic Crombie and Iman Singh.

Riverbend 2020 organisers, have reported that a record 150 plus teams from all corners of the North Island have registered for the annual age-group cricket festival. Napier and Hastings cricket parks are at a premium, stretching from the Petane Domain north of Napier airport through to Taradale and Havelock North.

Much of the success of the tournament, is that teams are accommodated together either at the Riverbend complex or at the Napier Boys High School hostel, which builds camaraderie and friendships amongst the visiting teams that will last well into the future.

The Western Bay of Plenty Hawkes Bay annual journeys couldn't happen without the multitude of volunteer coaches and managers, who freely give of their time to enable the Western Bay aspiring players to take another step in their youthful cricket careers. The Western Bay stars of the future also receive plenty of support from the many parents and extended family members, who sit on the side-lines at the Riverbend tournament.

Western Bay of Plenty Cricket 2020 Riverbend Schedule

Year 4/5 9 – 11 January 2020

Blue

Coach: Bobby Tagore

Manager: Trevor Hurley

Gold

Coach: Will Spargo

Manager: Kieran Wonnocott

Year 6 11 – 22 January 2020

Blue

Coaches: Matt Tustin/Sy Robertson

Manager: Anna Green

Gold

Coach: Shem Banbury

Manager: Andrew Coster

White

Coach: Darryn Holmes

Manager: Pim de Monchy (22-25 January)

Year 7 12 – 15 January 2020

Blue

Coach: Gus Bishell

Manager: Paul Vyver

Gold

Coach Sam Marshall

Manager: Trevor Hurley

White

Coach: Nic Newman

Manager: Ben Tweedie

Year 8 8 – 11 January 2020

Blue

Coach: Danny Dixon

Manager: Sy Robertson

Gold

Coach: Sam Owen

Manager: Hayden Burns

White

Coach: Danny Dixon

Manager: Pim de Monchy (6-9 January)

Year 9/10 12 – 15 January

Blue

Coach: Danny Dixon

Manager: Mike Brady

Gold

Coach: Will Spargo

Manager: TBA

White

Coach: Sam Owen

Manager: Rana Collett