Cricket: Western Bay of Plenty Mini World Cup at Bay Oval and Blake Park

Dayton Yates, 11, takes part in the Mini World Cup cricket tournament last year. Photo / File

When the Western Bay Mini World Cup was first held there were 12 teams representing eight schools.

Fast forward to today , when the 15th event will be played, a record number of Year 5 and 6 school teams have signed up to be part of the event, which will be held at the Bay Oval and Blake Park.

Part of the attraction of the Mini World Cup is that the 35 teams will represent an ICC cricket nation, with many of the schools dressing up in the colours of the country that they are representing. A by-product of the tournament is some schools undertake a geographical study on their allotted country.

The random draw has given Pahoia School 1 the coveted New Zealand selection. The record entries have seen organisers trawling the list of 93 ICC associate members to come up with enough cricket-playing nations.

The Mini World Cup is part of the Bay of Plenty Cricket Association's Regional Cricket Festivals being held around the Bay of Plenty and Central North Island, following from the New Zealand Cricket Superstarter programme school visits during August and September.

Aimed at Year 4 to 6 students, the Superstarter programme consists of four modules of the fundamental movement skills of striking, throwing, catching and bowling the ball.

The Mini World Cup was initiated by Bay of Plenty Cricket in 2004.

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BOPCA Primary School Cricket Festivals:
November 7 - Western Bay of Plenty Mini World Cup, Bay Oval and Blake Park
November 22 - Western Bay of Plenty GoGirl Super 6s, Bay Oval

2018 Western Bay of Plenty Mini World Cup entries:
Pahoia School 1 (New Zealand)
Golden Sands 1 (Australia)
Matua School 1 (India)
Selwyn Ridge 1 (South Africa)
Mount Primary 1 (Sri Lanka)
Oropi School (England)
Pyes Pa School (Bangladesh)
Pongakawa School 1 (Singapore)
Otumoetai Primary (West Indies)
Te Ranga School (Ireland)
St Thomas More (Scotland)
St Marys Primary (Zimbabwe)
Tahatai Coast (Canada)
Te Puna School 1 (Kenya)
Pahoia School 2 (Afghanistan)
Golden Sands 2 (United Arab Emirates)
Mount Primary 2 (Namibia)
Pongakawa School 2 (USA)
Matua School 2 (Papua New Guinea)
Te Puna School 2 (Honk Kong)
Selwyn Ridge 2 (Pakistan)
Tauranga Primary 1 (Uganda)
Tauranga Primary 2 (Bermuda)
Maketu School (Nepal)
Maungatapu School (Fiji)
Greenpark 1 (Oman)
Greenpark 2 (Cook Islands)
Te Akau ki Papamoa (Argentina)
Gate Pa (Spain)
Papamoa Primary 1 (Qatar)
Papamoa Primary 2 (Nigeria)
Omanu Primary 1 (Philippines)
Omanu Primary 2 (Rwanda)
Bethlehem College 1 (Samoa)
Bethlehem College 2 (Turkey)