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