Smart new cricket programme for New Zealand schools

With the start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup just days away, New Zealand Cricket is highlighting its Cricket Smart program - a set of teaching resources that use cricket as a learning tool in a fun and engaging way.

This week saw New Zealand Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman take part in a Cricket Smart lesson at Northcote Primary School in Auckland.

Commenting on the program, Minister Coleman stated “Cricket Smart is a new range of curriculum-based learning and teaching resources for primary and intermediate students in Years 1 to 8.

“It is a fun and interactive way to bring cricket into schools.”

Made up of five different resources with themes spanning eight subject areas, Cricket Smart has been designed to celebrate New Zealand’s co-hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and will last long into the future.

There are also practical components where students can develop their cricket skills in the school yard. To support this, all schools who register for the programme also receive a free cricket kit.

Since its launch last year, 55%(1,231) of eligible schools have signed up to the programme across the country.

Minister Coleman and ICC Cricket World Cup ambassador Toni Street also led a classroom cricket quiz and observed skills based activities.

Minister Coleman added “it has been 23 years since New Zealand hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup – so it is a once in a generation opportunity to see the best players and best teams going head to head in our back yard.

“With a potential broadcast audience of more than one billion people, the tournament will showcase New Zealand to key international markets and serve as a catalyst for new opportunities in tourism and trade.”

Cricket Smart has been designed by New Zealand Cricket and ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in conjunction with Ministry of Education endorsed education developers. The initiative is part of a wider legacy project for the tournament, including school yard cricket and volunteer initiatives, which has the financial support of the New Zealand Government.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 tournament will see 23 matches played across seven New Zealand host cities, including a Wellington quarter-final and Auckland semi-final. 

Click here to visit the New Zealand Cricket website.

21st January 2015 - GROWING INEQUALITY MEANS MORE CHILDREN AT RISK IN THE WATER

4th September 2014 - TWO COUNTRIES, ONE VISA FOR 2015 CRICKET WORLD CUP