The BLACKCAPS' future may have been on display this week after Auckland Under 19 put the icing on a brilliant week at the NZC Gillette Men's Under 19 Nationals in Lincoln.
Several of the young Aucklanders have already represented New Zealand Under 19 this year in the ICC EAP Men's Under 19 Qualifier, which New Zealand won to qualify for the forthcoming ICC Men's Under 19 World Cup - for which a fresh squad will be selected.
Auckland Under 19 captain Tom Jones (grandson of former BLACKCAPS captain Jeremy Coney) lifted this season's national trophy after his side, the top qualifier, carried on to eclipse another strong side in the ousted defending champion, Wellington Under 19, by 61 runs in today's 1v2 Final.
NZC's Paul Wiseman presented the trophy to Auckland U19 captain Tom Jones
A century at the top from prolific Auckland U19 (Parnell) right-hand opener James Nelson set up Auckland's total of 305/6, after captain Jones had won the toss.
Dependable bowling star Harry Cullen-Hieatt then quickly ripped out the top four Wellington wickets en route to a sizzling bag of 6/52, completed with the decisive wicket of the game, and tournament, in the 48thover after another entertaining spectacle.
Auckland would have got there quicker had it not been for an obstinate century stand for the fifth Wellington wicket from allrounders Ollie Tewatiya (60) and Dylan McArdle who went down fighting with a century (112 off 102 balls).
Canterbury U19 meanwhile rallied for third place with a three-wicket win in the 3v4 playoff against the well performed Otago side, while Northern Districts handed the summer's wooden spoon to Central Districts with a high-scoring, six-wicket win on Lincoln Green, in another good contest between the two Districts teams.
LEADING PERFORMERS
With four centuries across the week-long nationals, James Nelson had an outstanding tournament for Auckland Under 19.
He scored a total of 470 runs from the six one-dayers at a 78.33 average.
No one else scored more than one century, but Nelson was rivalled by Wellington's Henry Christie who averaged 74.00 after his 370 runs, including one ton and three half tons.
Northern Districts opener Aryan Mann's unbeaten 162* off 148 balls (15 x 4, 5 x 6) in the 5v6 playoff against CD U19 became the tournament's highest individual innings, overtaking Otago 15-year-old Hugo Bogue's outstanding 143, and Aucklander Nelson's top knock of 140.
Tall left-arm paceman Harry Cullen-Hieatt, also hailing from the Parnell Cricket Club, dominated the bowling statistics with 18 wickets at an impressive average of just 10.39.
He finished three wickets ahead of his leg-spinning Auckland teammate Rahman Hekmat who was the competition's leading spinner with 15 at 13.67.
Cullen-Hieatt's 6/52 in the final was the best individual performance with the ball, with Hekmat's 5/28 the only other bag from this year's nationals.
Hot on their heels though was Manawatū CD allrounder Jett Donald-Charnley (14 wickets at 26), Canterbury's young star George Gunn (14 at 19.57) and Otago's Zac Cumming who finished with 13 at 20.15.
You can check out the full stats and all the results in our Competition Centre.
