Cricket: Pair off to play for Yorkshire clubs

Henry Cooper and Ben Hyde at Cobham Oval ahead of Northland's Hawke Cup challenge.Photo / John Stone

University graduation for Ben Hyde and Henry Cooper will mean more than the chance to wear silly clothes and farewell old drinking buddies, it will be the start of a cricketing adventure.

The day after graduating from Waikato University, the pair will fly to England to play in Yorkshire during their summer, in a bid to galvanise their professional cricket careers.

A talented batsman and handy spin bowler, Cooper admits he is relieved to be putting away the books so he can put more time into his cricket.

"It's been my plan to get my degree out of the way so I can focus hard out on my cricket, and I'm going overseas to broaden my outlook," he said.

The 21-year-old son of Northland legend and current selector Barry has been playing for Northern Districts A since he left high school and is not that far away from a shot at a first class contract. He and Hyde might have already tried their hand at playing in England but both elected to finish their studies first.

Cooper has just completed a bachelor of science and has been working at the Opus Laboratories over summer to save up money for the trip.

Hyde, a promising middle order batsman, has just completed a commerce degree at Waikato and is looking forward to the adventure getting under way.

"It's an exciting opportunity for me and Henry to improve our cricket, while at the same time seeing a bit of the world," he said.

"I'll be able to put more time into my cricket and see where it takes me. If it goes well, then that's good - if it doesn't, that's just the way it goes but at least I gave it a shot." Hyde will play in the Bradford League for a very old club called Gomersal Cricket Club, while Cooper will play for Broad Oaks CC in the Huddersfield League.

Both the players' host clubs have organised part-time work for them but grants from two Northland Cricket organisations mean they will not be forced to neglect their cricket.

"We'd definitely like to thank the Cobham Club and the Northland Cricket Trust for helping take the pressure off us financially. It means we won't have to work so much to pay the bills during this trip," Hyde said.

Cobham Club committee member Paul Tomich said the organisation existed to support young cricketers in the province.

"We've been operating since about 1978 and we have got about 130-odd members, although paying members is another story perhaps," he said with a laugh.

He said the club was always looking for new members who were keen to support the next generation of cricketers but also grassroots organisation of the sport, such as helping pay for new cricket facilities in the area.

"All the money we generate from holding events goes mainly towards funding our young cricketers on trips or other worthy causes," he said.

Hyde and Cooper are a part of the 13-strong Northland squad who will challenge Manawatu for the Hawke Cup this weekend in Palmerston North.

"Usually Fitzherbert Park has a decent surface and, hopefully, we can put in a good performance and come away with it," Cooper said.

Hyde said: "We're definitely keen because it's been so long since we won it. All the boys are fired up because we really want to bring it home."