Young Manakau cricketer to join White Ferns for pro-training
Kia ora neighbours,
A 12-year-old Manakau local will be training alongside the White Ferns this year after being named one of ANZ Next XI.
The team is an exclusive pick of 11 young cricket players who will get to train alongside the White Ferns at a junior training academy and attend master classes in cricket.
Niamh Falanitule, a Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club player, said she couldn’t stop smiling when she got the news, and a brand new set of training uniform, bat, helmet and pads to play with.
Falanitule said while she is too young to play for her school’s hardball team, she looks up to the players on the team and can’t wait to join.
“I played against one of the girls and she was really good - so fast and tall. She’s another Pacific Islander (like me) - which isn’t common in cricket,” she said. More Pasifika girls should play cricket, Falanitule believes.
“Give it a go! There are so many different skills, you might not be the best bowler but you can bat or wicket keep or be a great fielder, with cricket, you get a lot of different skills to try. It’s all about sportsmanship, if you have a bad turn with the bat you know your teammates can pull through.”
ANZ New Zealand CEO Antonia Watson said she believes in providing role models for young women.
“We’re proud to be able to offer these passionate young sportswomen this opportunity to meet and train with their heroes. I’m a firm believer that if you can see it, you can be it.”
We’re proud to be putting our full support behind the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our athletes to the world and provide important opportunities to grow the next generation of cricketers.”
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
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Hi my good neighbours especially all the cats it’s Gem Gibb back just to let you know I’ve finished putting up all the decorations for this year. I know it’s a bit early but I’m a cat and I do as I please. Hope you enjoy. First photo of me looking at the purr fect job I done. Click onto photos to see better epically the cats in window. Just added a night time one with the lights on. Last photo
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.