"If you look around the rest of the country there's probably a very small spike to do with the world cup ... couple that with our coaching programme and that's quite clearly what's provided our massive spike," Parlane said.
"[For] all of these young kids that have started playing who remember the world cup, we're sort of bringing the memories back and it has encouraged a couple more to play cricket - quite a few to be fair."
Adding that NCA had almost doubled their junior uptake and interest in the sport, Parlane said a big drive has been to get parents motivated about the opportunities cricket can provide their children.
"We're introducing new formats this year. We're introducing Friday-night cricket which is going to be played at various places around Whangarei, and also at Maungakaramea and One Tree Point.
"It's not necessarily the cricketers we're trying to encourage, it's the parents. A lot of mothers and fathers don't really see cricket as a good time for their child, or for them watching their child.
"Kids are going home from school saying how much fun they've had during our little modified games here and parents are buying into it and saying 'awesome, we'll give it a go'".
"We want the kids to enjoy what they want to enjoy. A lot of them tell us they want to play cricket but their parents won't let them.
Parlane added that, "it's not a 3-4 hour thing for young kids, it's an hour and a half, max, after school on a Friday or on a Saturday morning."
Bolstering the NCA's new junior Friday night sessions, which begin next month, the Northern Knights will be in town ahead of their Georgie Pie Super Smash T20 match to lend a hand on opening night, November 13.
"There'll be quite a few of them helping out", Parlane said
