New Zealand: Money stumps indoor cricketers (30 September 1998)

30 September 1998

New Zealand: Money stumps indoor cricketers

The Christchurch Press

Representing New Zealand comes at a considerable cost for Canterbury's four players in the national indoor cricket men's and women's cricket teams leaving this week for the World Cup in Melbourne.

Howzat trio of Helen Watson, Rochelle McLachlan, and Mandy Ormandy are part of the women's team, while North Canterbury's Brendon Donkers is the only South Islander in the men's team.

Two other Cantabrians, Harley James (North Canterbury) and Deborah Hamilton (Howzat) were contenders, but were unavailable because of finance.

The Canterbury players have to fund their several thousand dollar trips almost completely by themselves, while other team members from Wellington and Auckland are expecting more assistance from their regions.

Donkers, 22, said he had tried for sponsorship through a number of funding agencies, including the Hillary Commission, and Lotteries Grants Board, but had had been rejected.

His greatest disappointment came when the Canterbury Indoor Cricket Association was unable to offer any assistance.

Donkers said he did not want to decline the chance of representing his country.

Canterbury president Brenda Simm said the province would like to have contributed a significant amount to the players travel costs, as it had in past years. But this season, because some restructuring had taken place, Canterbury did not have the funds available to make more than a token gesture of a few hundred dollars.

She said there was the possibility of other regions assisting their players more, but information on the amounts being bandied about of $1000 a player was inaccurate, she said.

Donkers said his North Canterbury club had contributed when players from their centre had made the Canterbury team and he did not expect further help from them.

Donkers, who is also a Canterbury Country outdoor representative, joins the New Zealand team in Auckland tomorrow for a preparatory camp before warm-up matches in Brisbane and Sydney next week.

The World Cup has attracted six countries -- Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe -- while the four-team women's event is being held concurrently.

In the men's event a round-robin tournament is played, with the top qualifier through to the final and second playing third for the other finalist's position. Donkers paid tribute to North Canterbury coach Michael Sharpe, a former Canterbury outdoor representative, who had a big influence on his development, Donkers having played at the club since he was 17.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)