KEY POINTS:
Budding young cricket stars are stretching their muscles, bowling and batting in the Junior World Series of Cricket at Devonport Domain in Auckland.
The three-day series, held every year, sees youngsters aged 7 to 13 divided into three categories: the little league, middle and senior levels. Players are selected into teams to represent major cricketing countries of the world.
"We are trying to make it as even a competition as possible," said Junior World Series convener John Brook.
The series, also known as Carnival Cricket because of the colourful theme of the uniform and fair play, is designed to let cricketers of all abilities take part and get a chance to star.
This year 268 children are playing for teams including newcomers Netherlands and Bangladesh and established teams New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.
And this year the number of female captains at the middle level has increased to 50 per cent.
Teams in the little league play with a soft ball and bat 40-over games, while middle and senior teams bat 25- and 35-over games in semifinals and final, respectively.
Coaches and captains in the series are from the North Shore Cricket Club, which works with sponsors ENZA and Lollipops Educare.
On the first day, New Zealand beat India with the score 106 (three wickets) to 102 (five wickets) at the middle level.
