Outstanding young Knights cricketer Kane Williamson has signed with Te Puke Cricket Club. This is a huge vote of confidence in the Te Puke Club.

It is well known that Te Puke Coach Ben William wants to turn Te Puke into the Australia of Bay cricket. Or is it now the India of world cricket?
This move by Kane will go a long way to assisting Te Puke in this regard. Kane will only play four games before spring training begins for the Knights but what it does say is that he thinks Te Puke is a club on the up and he wants to be a part of them in the future. He will also pass on invaluable knowledge each time he turns out for Te Puke at training and in matches. There is nothing like a steady head under pressure to help you through tight games.
Kane's father Brett was a long time member of the Albion club in Matua. Albion has not had a premier side for many years even thought they have a huge junior club. There have been many murmurings of Boys' College sides leaving school as one and trying to resurrect the premier side but it has not eventuated.
With the firepower in both batting and bowling Mount Manganui and Te Puke now possess, I just hope they meet early season at full strength. That will be some tussle.

Other local news from our stars in the Bay:

Trent Boult left last week for Sydney. He is to spend five weeks with Canterbury Bankstown. He said the standard of the side is very impressive; that is the former club of Steve and Mark Waugh. Mark was also a huge doggies fan.
NZ Cricket has helped set this up to assist in Trent's rehabilitation. He has been bowling for eight weeks under strict workloads and this is his chance to get outdoors on firm surfaces. He is likely to play four matches plus trial games.
On return to NZ Trent will go straight into the Knights' spring training, which is a level above in terms of intensity. So ideally the programme has Trent primed for the first match of the season.
Other Knights players in Australia prior to the spring training camp are James Marshall and Joey Yovich (Sydney), and Michael Parlane and Brad Wilson (Gold Coast).
The spring training approach began five years ago as a way of trying to match the preparation of city based associations. Auckland, Wellington Canterbury and Otago can prepare throughout the full year simply based on having the majority of players in one city. In CD and ND you are forced to prepare by yourself or in small groups and maybe not with even a quality seamer to face.
I have been based in both types of associations so know the merits of both. the advantages of a Canterbury or Auckland is that you have training sessions against quality players and you only drive 20 minutes to get this. You also have a training centre close at hand with everything you need.
The disadvantages are that you can actually spend too much time with the team. Some coaches want a team together all the time to "build" the team ethos. This can develop cabin fever. We have had some classic cabin fever moments with Canterbury cricket sides over the years.
So in a place like CD you can train when you want and how you want. This can be an advantage if you get the work done. You don't have to do a lot of superfluous stuff so just focus on the skills you need. I remember one season for Canterbury when we had 34 players in the squad. My training was a 12 minute bat followed by ball fetching for two hours. With CD I could face 200 balls on the machine and go for a run and stretch in that time.
Just to remind you. BOP will be playing Rex Smith's Cornwall side this Sunday at Te Puke. On Sunday at Te Puke the Bay played Dipak Patel's Howick Pakuranga team. Graeme Aldridge led the Bay. Howick made 291 with de Border making 122 in a very impressive display. Despite light closing-in, the Bay made 287 before Daniel Hill was caught on the fence in the last over. It was a great day and good game between the sides. Brett Sorenson and Graeme Aldridge made 50's in the valiant Bay chase. Once again Graeme impressed with ball as did Bay left arm spinner Jason Trembarth.
On the Saturday Otumoetai cadets played Howick. Campbell Wilson bowled with good control before the match was ended due to the rain. He looks in good rhythm to maintain his spot in the Bay side, although there a number of new seamers in Tauranga and in Northern Districts. This has a flow on effect to the provincial level. When a Knights bowler is left out they have to play for someone.