Wellington team wins L&P Backyard Cricket Tourney

The new national champions of backyard cricket are Wellingtonians.

 

Two rookie teams from Wellington outclassed 60 other teams to win both the first and second divisions of the 2nd annual L&P Backyard Cricket Tourney, held in Paeroa on Saturday, 7 March.

 

After a long day of competition, The Home & Away All Stars, who had traveled all the way from Petone in Wellington to compete in their first ever ‘BYC’ Tourney, comfortably defeated runner-up team CC+L&P from Cambridge in the Grand Final, 52 runs to 33.

 

For their efforts, the Home & Away All Stars took home first prize of the L&P BYC Cup, $3000, a 6-burner BBQ and a year’s supply of L&P.

 

“We’re stoked,” said All Stars team member Rory McSweeney.

 

The second division of the Tourney – the L&P Shield, made up of competitors who came second in the round-robin games – was also won by a Wellington team, Come Out Swinging, from Taita in Lower Hutt.

 

The double-win to the only two Wellington teams to enter the Tourney was a dramatic finale to the BYC competition, which was dominated by teams from Auckland and the Waikato. Other teams came from as far away as Napier, New Plymouth, Tauranga, and Whangarei.

 

2008 Tourney defending champions, The Brew Bros - who were hot favourites throughout the day, easily dominating their round-robin pool games - were eventually ousted in the semi-final round by the plucky Home & Away All Stars.

 

A few scattered showers during the day failed to dampen the enthusiasm and determination of the more than 300 players who traveled from all corners of the North Island to Paeroa to play cricket in 16 backyards around the town.

 

The BYC Tourney is brought to Paeroa thanks to L&P – the official sports drink of backyard cricket.

 

FINAL RESULTS

 

1st Division – L&P CUP

WINNERS: Home & Away All Stars (Petone, Wellington)

RUNNERS-UP: CC & L&P (Cambridge, Waikato)

 

2nd Division - L&P SHIELD

Come Out Swinging (Taita, Wellington)

 

3rd Division - L&P PLATE:

Puriri Valley Hogs (Paeroa)

 

4th Division - L&P BOWL

The BY Hardouts (Kumeu, Auckland)