Gillette Cup finals underway
The prestigious 21st Gillette Cup Finals Tournament of the national secondary school boys’ cricket championship is underway at Fitzherbert and Manawaroa Parks in Palmerston North from December 7-10.
The Gillette Cup is synonymous with secondary school cricket and encouraged 203 schools to enter the 2010 competition. The preliminary rounds in each of the six major cricket associations have produced each of their winners who advance to this year’s finals.
This year’s finalists include: King’s College, Hamilton Boys’ High School, Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Hutt International Boys’ School, Christchurch Boys’ High School and John McGlashan College. Three teams have made it back from last year; Hamilton Boys’ High School, Palmerston North Boys’ High School and last year’s champions Christchurch Boys’ High School.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School will be making a record thirteenth appearance in the tournament just ahead of Christchurch Boys’ High School who is making their ninth appearance. Christchurch Boys’ High School won the coveted Gillette Cup title five times and Palmerston North Boys’ Boys’ High School and Hamilton Boys’ High School have each held the title three times.
The Gillette Cup competition is an integral part of the player development pathway for secondary schools. It is not only the incentive for many schools to enter their first elevens into the competition each year with a chance to make it to the national finals, it has through its national finals tournament also launched 63 players into first class cricket with 14 graduating into the ranks of the BLACKCAPS.
The draw for the tournament is as follows:
DAY ONE - TUESDAY 7 DECEMBER, 2010
King’s College v Hutt International BS
Hamilton BHS v John McGlashan College
Christchurch BHS v Palmerston North BHS
DAY TWO - WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER, 2010
Hamilton BHS v Christchurch BHS
John McGlashan College v Hutt International BS
King’s College v Palmerston North BHS
DAY THREE – THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER, 2010
Hamilton BHS v King’s College
Christchurch BHS v Hutt International BS
John McGlashan College v Palmerston North BHS
DAY FOUR – FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER, 2010
FINALS
1st Ranked Team v 2nd Ranked Team
3rd Ranked Team v 4th Ranked Team
5th Ranked Team v 6th Ranked Team