Te Puke Cricket Club’s Mikaere Leef to captain ND Māori

Northern Districts' Māori Player of the Year Mikaere Leef of Te Puke Cricket Club. Photo / Supplied

Te Puke Cricket Club all-rounder Mikaere Leef will captain the Northern Districts’ Māori team at this weekend’s inaugural National Māori Men’s Tournament in Whangārei.

Mikaere (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngā Puhi) was also recently named Northern Districts Cricket Association’s Māori Player of the Year.

He has played for Te Puke since leaving school in 2017 and has been a significant part of the Northern Districts’ Māori programme this season, playing in all matches, contributing with bat and ball and coaching the ND Māori rangatahi team, on top of his club and Bay of Plenty Cricket playing commitments.

He says winning the award was a bit of a surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s really nice to be recognised — it’s a really cool achievement.”

Mikaere has been playing cricket for as long as he can remember.

“Ever since I was old enough to whack a ball and run around, pretty much.”

He was part of the Tauranga Intermediate School team that won back-to-back national titles in 2011 and 2012 then went on to captain Tauranga Boys’ College first XI.

“From there I started playing my senior cricket with Te Puke Cricket Club.”

One of the attractions was that premier coach Peter Swan was also the Coastline Senior Secondary Schools coach. Mikaere also has iwi and hapū affiliations to the area.

“As well as that, playing for the first XI, Te Puke was always a good team to play against, they seemed like a good bunch of dudes and a good club to play for. Also, the ground out there is pretty special and it’s the longest continually running club in the Bay, so it’s pretty special from that aspect too.”

Mikaere is enthusiastic about the progress of Māori cricket, the fact there is now a national tournament, and the potential there is.

“About a decade ago was the first ND Māori team and it’s been a bit on and off, there’s not really been a permanent team or squad throughout the season until recently.

“If you look at other sports like rugby and rugby league where Māori programmes have been in the works for decades now, you can see how much they can give to [for example] rugby as a whole for New Zealand. Hopefully we can get to that sort of point for cricket.”

In his role as rangatahi team coach, he is working with local Māori players.

“It’s just cool being involved in the Bay of Plenty stuff, getting the young Māori kids involved, keeping them in the game for longer and just establishing that pathway for Māori athletes coming through the age groups.”

The tournament begins tomorrow and involves teams from ND, Auckland, Central Districts, Wellington and a combined South Island team.