TARANAKI WINNERS 2024
Ross Taylor Secondary Boys T20 Trophy – Te Pae Pae o Aotea Boys 1st XI
Gillette Venus/Aimee Watkins Trophy Secondary School 1st XI Girls – NPGHS 1st XI
Gillette/Alistar Jordan Trophy Secondary School 1st XI Boys – NPBHS 1st XI
Jamie Watkins Primary Year 7 & 8 Boys Trophy – Highlands Intermediate Year 7&8 Boys
Kate Ebrahim Year 7 & 8 Primary Girls Trophy – Mangorei Primary Year 7&8 Girls
Dean Robinson Year 5 & 6 Primary Boys Trophy – Welbourn School Year 5&6 Boys
Year 9 & 10 Boys – Francis Douglas Memorial College Year 9&10 Boys
Year 9 & 10 Girls – Sacred Heart Girls College Year 9&10 Girls
INTER-SCHOOL CRICKET CHALLENGE 2025
(formerly named Festival Days)
Schools from around Taranaki can enter our INTER-SCHOOL CRICKET CHALLENGE held in February & March each year! Check in with your school later this year to register.
Dean Robinson Primary Year 5 & 6 Boys Trophy – Monday 17th March 2025 (Reserve Day Monday 24th March). We may need to hold prelims ahead of this should more than 4 teams enter. If it’s needed these will be played on Monday 3rd March (reserve Day Tuesday 11th March as Taranaki Anniversary falls on 10th March).
Kate Ebrahim Primary Year 7 & 8 Girls Trophy – Wednesday 19th March 2025 (Reserve Day Wednesday 26th March). We may need to hold prelims ahead of this should more than 4 teams enter. If it’s needed, these will be played on Wednesday 5th March (Reserve Day Wednesday 12th March).
Jamie Watkins Primary Year 7 & 8 Boys Trophy – Friday 21st March 2025 (Reserve Day Friday 28th March). We may need to hold prelims ahead of this should more than 4 teams enter. If it’s needed, these will be played on Friday 7th March 2024 (Reserve Day Friday 14th March).
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PRIMARY BOYS & PRIMARY GIRLS INTER-SCHOOL CRICKET CHALLENGE: If a school has an intermediate roll of less than 200 pupils they can combine with another school with an intermediate roll of less than 200 pupils to form a team.
RULES: CLICK HERE for the Primary Trophy T20 Rules
Year 9&10 Girls – Monday 3rd March 2025 (Reserve Day tbc). Note: This T20 festival day will always be held as a curtain raiser to the Aimee Watkins Trophy.
Gillette Venus/Aimee Watkins Secondary School Girls 1st XI Trophy – Monday 3rd March 2025 (Reserve Day tbc). All teams are now able to proceed to the CD Districts play-offs. Aimee Watkins Trophy 25th – 27th March 2025 in Palmerston North, Gillette Venus Qualifying 26th – 28th March in Whanganui. Note that teams wanting to take part in the CD play-offs need to register directly with CD before 13 December 2024.
Year 9&10 Boys – Thursday 28th February 2025 (50 over final). If more than 2 teams entered, T20 play offs will occur before this date. (This festival will always be held on the last two Thursdays of February).
Ross Taylor T20 Secondary School Boys Bat – Wednesday 5th March 2025 (Reserve Day 12th March). All teams are now able to proceed into the Central Districts Ross Taylor finals play offs. All teams are now able to proceed to the CD Districts play-offs. 25th – 27th March 2025 in Palmerston North. Note that teams wanting to take part in the CD play-offs need to register directly with CD before 13 December 2024.
NOTE: Schools that wish to enter the Gillette Boys Cup (see below) are ineligible to enter in the Ross Taylor Festival Day – please enter in the Gillette Boys Cup section on the entry form.
COMPETITIONS HELD BETWEEN SCHOOLS 2025
Gillette Cup/Alistar Jordan Secondary School 1st XI Boys Cup – Tuesday 4th March 2025 (Reserve Day tbc). All teams are now able to proceed to the CD Districts play-offs. Gillette Cup Qualifying dates are 24th – 25th March 2025 in Whanganui. Note that teams wanting to take part in the CD play-offs need to register directly with CD before 13 December 2024.
Please CLICK HERE for the Gillette Venus / Ross Taylor Bat rules!
THE LEGENDS BEHIND OUR INTER-SCHOOL CRICKET CHALLENGE…
ALISTAR JORDAN – SECONDARY SCHOOL BOYS 1ST XI TROPHY
Born on 5th September in Inglewood Alistar (Ali) grew up on the family farm at Maude Rd, Korito, New Plymouth. His parents were Ivan and Joyce Jordan and he had three brothers. All were educated at Mangorei Primary School where Ali started his cricketing career.
His father, Ivan, was a keen cricketer and played for the Albert Road Cricket Club. As the Club was often short of players Ali was, at the age of 10, often required to make up the shortfall.
After leaving Mangorei School Ali attended NPBHS and with further encouragement from his father began playing cricket for the school where he caught the attention of Ted Meuli, a former NZ cricketer and Master at the school. Under the coaching and guidance from Ted, the young Ali Jordan progressed at a fast pace and was playing for Taranaki in 1965 at the age of 16. He played 104 games over an illustrious career spanning 26 years taking the highest number of wickets (375 at an average of 17.18 runs), playing 70 first class games for Central Districts, a tour to Australia in 1973 with the New Zealand team and was the only Taranaki player named in the Hawke Cup Team of the Century. During the Hawke Cup era he captured 55 wickets at an average of 13.93 runs, with a best Innings performance of 9 wickets for 103 against Hutt Valley and best match figures of 14 wickets for 89 runs against Franklin. Both of these games were in defence of the Hawke Cup. In 1992 Ali finally retired from the Taranaki Team after 104 games, at the age of 42.
He has been associated with Taranaki Cricket since 1965 during this time taking many roles as a player, coach, assistant coach, selector, administrator and volunteer. Elected as a Life Member of the NPHSOBCC and the Taranaki Cricket Association, in 2016 Ali was granted a New Plymouth District Council Citizens Award for his services to cricket.
See Ali’s stats here: www.nzc.nz/archive/players
AIMEE WATKINS – SECONDARY SCHOOL GIRLS 1ST XI TROPHY
Aimee Watkins (nee Mason) was born in New Plymouth 11th October 1982. Aimee attended Westown Primary, Devon Intermediate and NPGHS. She played for the Taranaki U14, U18 Girls teams and debuted for Taranaki Women in 1995 in Opunake. Aimee went on to Debut for Central Districts in 1998/1999. Aimee played for NZ ‘A’ & the White Ferns Yoplait Cup Champions in 2000 before her debut for New Zealand 2001/2002. Her highest score for NZ is 111, best bowling 4-2 vs South Africa. Aimee captained the white ferns and played over 100 games, she is the greatest female cricketer to come out of Taranaki and was recognised for her talents by being named an honorary life member of the home of cricket “Lords”. She is truly a legend of Women’s cricket.
See Aimee’s stats here: https://archive.nzc.nz/Players/44/44167/44167.html
KATE EBRAHIM – PRIMARY YEAR 7&8 GIRLS TROPHY
Kate Ebrahim (nee Broadmore) was born in New Plymouth on the 11th November 1991.Kate attended Mangorei School & NPGHS. Kate started in the North Taranaki Boys Rep team in 2002, U12 Boys and was selected in the Taranaki U14 Girls at 10 years old. Kate was selected in the Central Districts U14 Girls & CD U13 Boys team in 2004. Kate was also part of the successful NPGHS 1st XI winning the nationals 2005, 06,07,08 and Debut for Taranaki Women in 2004. Kate debuted for the Hinds in 2006/2007 and went on for her NZA debut vs England 2007/08 followed by her White Ferns debut 2010 vs Australia in Australia at the young age of 18. Kate has played for three provinces in her career, Central Districts, Canterbury Magicians, & most recently Otago Sparks 2021/22.
See Kate’s stats here: https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/kate-ebrahim-274175
JAMIE WATKINS – PRIMARY YEAR 7&8 BOYS TROPHY
Jamie Watkins was born in Stratford on the 24th October 1976. Jamie attended NPBHS. He started playing for the NPOB Juniors 1985 and played for Taranaki Age Group Rep teams 1988-1994. He also played for Western Districts U16 and Central Districts U18 1992/93. NPBHS 1st XI 1992-94 and his debut for Taranaki was 1994 to 2015 playing 122 games taking 268 wickets (second to Ali Jordan) and scoring 2493 runs. Thus, being the only allrounder to take 200 wickets and score 2000 runs for Taranaki. Jamie’s highest score for Taranaki was 126 in Hawke Cup Challenge win, best bowling 7-25 v Hawkes Bay.
Jamie played for Central Districts ‘A’ – 2007-2009 while playing for the NPOB CC Premiers 1995-2021 and winning 31 premier titles.
Jamie has also contributed to cricket with his coaching being the coaching and development officer 2001-2020 for Taranaki Cricket, Centrals Districts U15 coach 2003-2006, Central Districts U19 coach 2006-2014, Central Districts A coach 2015-16, Central Districts Hinds Coach 2017-2022.
See Jamie’s stats here: https://archive.nzc.nz/Players/197/197489/197489.html
DEAN ROBINSON – PRIMARY YEAR 5&6 BOYS TROPHY
Dean Robinson was born in Stratford 12th November 1989. Dean attended Ngaere Primary, Highlands Intermediate & NPBHS. Dean came up through the Taranaki Age Group teams; South Taranaki U11’s, North Taranaki U12’s, Taranaki U13, U14, U15, U17. Dean’s debut for Taranaki 2008 vs Canterbury Country and has the most hundreds with 13. Dean is second on the runs scored and third with the number of games he has played for Taranaki Men. Dean represented Central Districts in all age groups U15, U17, U19, U23, A, Stags and was contracted to CD from 2013 to 2016. He was also a member of the NZ U19 team and Invitational XI.
See Dean’s stats here: https://archive.nzc.nz/Players/335/335199/335199.htmlx
