Two of Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club’s (HPCC) most impressive youngsters have continued their golden season, being selected to represent Indoor Cricket New Zealand (ICNZ) in Dubai later this year.
Neena Woollaston and Ayaan Lambat were recently selected in the New Zealand Girls U17 Indoor Cricket side for the junior world series.
The 2023 Indoor Cricket Junior world series, held by the World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF), was originally meant to take place in South Africa, but has been moved to Dubai.
It will get underway on September 29 and conclude on October 7.
“It’s such an honour to be selected to represent New Zealand for Indoor cricket, especially as this is my first time representing New Zealand,” Woollaston says.
Woollaston was a key figure in the success of the HPCC premier women’s success in their 2022/23 season and was rewarded by being selected for the Auckland Cricket Rangatahi Female leadership programme, Auckland U17 cricket team and named as a non-travelling reserve for the U19 side.
“Indoor cricket tournaments are so much fun and the thought of experiencing one in Dubai makes me so excited. I’m also excited to make new friends with the rest of my team from other parts of NZ,” Woollaston says.
The Howick College year 12 student was also selected to represent the inaugural NZ Pasifika Secondary Schools team which played a series against the NZ Māori Secondary Schools.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had this year. However, out of all the exciting things that’s happened over the summer until now, I think that being selected for a New Zealand team is the most exciting to me since I get to travel overseas and represent my country,” she says.
At only 14, Ayaan Lambat too has made quite the name for herself in the Auckland Cricket community, being selected for the Auckland U17 side and taking multiple wickets for the HPCC premier women.
She is excited at the prospect of experiencing a different culture when she leaves for Dubai in September.
Lambat says she is most excited to stand with the team and sing the National anthem while wearing a New Zealand uniform.
“It is such a privilege to have this great opportunity to represent my country in a sport that I enjoy so much,” she says.
Last year, Lambat was named as a reserve for the New Zealand U22 Women’s Indoor Cricket side that competed in the World Cup in October in Melbourne but didn’t get to play.
She says she is now looking forward to the challenge of playing against some of the best indoor cricket teams in the world.
“I am really humbled for all the opportunities and the belief that everyone has in me. Being selected to represent New Zealand is definitely a highlight of my indoor cricket season,” says Lambat.
ICNZ is currently holding a raffle fundraiser for the tournament. Businesses are able to buy a $300 ticket or tickets to go into the raffle, where the winner gets naming rights for all NZ sides competing in the Junior World Series in Dubai.
If you want to learn more, contact ICNZ via the email cricket@indoorcricketnz.org.nz or phone 620 6113.
