Slow start for New Zealanders in northern leagues

Several New Zealand first-class cricketers are plying their wares in various leagues in England and the Netherlands but are still to make a significant impact.

Of those playing, James Marshall, the Northern Districts opening batsman, has done best while playing in the first division of the Liverpool and District competition for Formby.

He has scored one century, 130 and 49 in two different games against Fleetwood Hesketh, and had other scores of 81 against Haydock and a 38 against Southport and Birkdale. He has also had some productive bowling performances with four for 84 and three for 36 in two games against Haydock, and two for 71 against Fleetwood Hesketh.

Aucklander Aaron Barnes who has moved to Britain is playing in the same league for Colwyn Bay and scored 100 against Highfield and 65 against Hightown. He also took three for 24 against St Helens Recs and two for 53 against Hightown.

Canterbury's Brendon Donkers and Otago's Warren McSkimming are playing in the higher grade of the Liverpool and District competition in the ECB Premier League for Leigh and Lytham respectively.

Auckland's Rob Nicol is playing for Rishton in the Lancashire league. In his opening appearance in the 89-run loss to Rawtenstall he took four for 79 and five. He scored 93 against Ramsbottom in a match lost on run rate.

He scored 38 and took three for 39 in the two-wicket loss to Colne.

Wellington players Matthew Bell and Luke Woodcock are playing in the Surrey championship league for Esher and Purley respectively while Canterbury trialists Danny Barclay and Brandon Hiini are playing for Dorking and Ashtead in the second division for first XIs.

Bell has had one innings of 67 in a winning draw with Guildford while Barclay took five for 35 and hit 63 against Mitcham in a 13-run loss.

Michael Parlane, from Northern Districts, is playing for Swardeston in the East Anglia League and scored 67 in an eight-wicket loss to Maldon while taking two for 20 and scoring five against Cambridge and Godmanchester in a 37-run loss.

New Zealanders are also obvious in the Dutch men's competition. Former Canterbury player Darron Reekers who has now qualified to play for the Netherlands is playing for Quick Haag. He scored 81 off 72 balls and took five for 13 off 9.4 overs in a man of the match performance against Hermes DVS as his side won by 34 runs.

On the receiving end in that match was Central Districts player Greg Todd who took two for 43 off nine overs.

In his second game Reekers scored 66 and took two for 21 against Excelsior.

Other players in the Dutch leagues are: David Kelly (Northern Districts) who is playing for Rood en Wit, Tama Canning (Auckland) who is playing for VOC, Shane Thomson (formerly ND) who is playing for VRA along with Otago player David Sewell, while Alex O'Dowd, who formerly played for Auckland and ND will be joined by current TelstraClear Black Cap Andre Adams for HCC once the tri-series in Sri Lanka is completed.

Sewell has done best of those players to date with a haul of three for 10 off 6.5 overs in an eight-wicket over Hermes DVS.

Canterbury's Sarah Burke is playing in the women's premier league for Rood en Wit. She scored 23 and had figures of none for 22 off nine overs in her side's 45-run loss. The team scored 115 in reply to their opposition's 160, of which 80 were extras, 69 of them wides, including six bowled by Burke.