Hamilton student to host State Backyard Test
A Hamilton student and her two sisters face the test of a lifetime when they line up with friends and family against a full strength TelstraClear Black Caps team in the annual State Backyard Test this Saturday in Hamilton
New Zealand Cricket
22-Jan-2003
A Hamilton student and her two sisters face the test of a lifetime when they line up with friends and family against a full strength TelstraClear Black Caps team in the annual State Backyard Test this Saturday in Hamilton.
Sarah, Rachel and Anna Cross together with their dad Allan, won the right to host the Backyard Test by being among more than 2,500 people who entered a free draw for State customers.
The match which starts at 1.30pm on Saturday at Southwell School, 200 Peach Grove Road, Hamilton will be played to Cross Family house rules. These include:
- One innings for each team.
- Everyone must bowl an over.
- Local team players cannot be "out" for 0.
- The boundaries are worth double for the home team.
- A lost ball is minus 10 runs.
- Visitors must catch one-handed, not including the wicket-keeper.
- Hitting a blow up cow is worth 20 runs for the home team, but "out" for the visitors.
- When the mooloo bell rings, visitors must face a delivery with only one hand on the bat
TelstraClear Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming was talking up his team's chances, although he admitted his side had struggled in previous State Backyard clashes and that he expected another tough encounter.
"Sarah and her Terrors are an unknown quantity but we're going to take them seriously.
"In recent years we've been on the wrong side of a couple of good thrashings in State Backyard Tests and some of the boys are still smarting.
"Through those experiences we've learnt the locals can employ some underhand tactics in these encounters and to say the conditions are doctored to suit the home side is an understatement of massive proportions.
"But you expect that type of thing when you play cricket in this part of the world and this year we've got a couple of local boys in Daryl Tuffey, Scott Styris and Daniel Vettori checking out the conditions and our opposition before Saturday.
"So we're confident we'll be prepared for whatever they throw at us," Fleming said.
The TelstraClear Black Caps team to meet Sarah's Terrors in the 2003 State Backyard Test is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Andre Adams, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori and Lou Vincent. Coach: Denis Aberhart.
Sarah's Terrors also announced its Test team, with the final batting order to be confirmed just before the start of play.
Sarah's Terrors: Sarah Cross (23), Rachel Cross (21), Anna Cross (25), Allan Cross (52), Jason McKinnon (28), Scotty Delamore (30), Rob Pye (28), Andy Yeadon (33), Glenn Telders (28), Tom Carr (33) and Mark Wheddon (27). Coach: Mother Gloria Cross (age not available).