Wellington will welcome the country's best young indoor cricketers next week as it hosts the 2026 Indoor Cricket Junior Provincials from Monday 6 July to Thursday 9 July.

The four day tournament will see teams from around New Zealand compete across multiple age groups, with the majority of matches taking place at Hutt Indoor Sports. Additional matches will be played in Upper Hutt before the tournament concludes with the finals on Thursday.

Hosting the tournament provides a significant boost for Wellington, allowing the region to field its largest ever contingent of teams across the various grades. Wellington will have 11 teams competing, highlighting the continued growth and strength of junior indoor cricket in the region.

The tournament also marks a significant milestone with the introduction of a Girls 15 and Under grade for the first time. Wellington will be strongly represented with three teams in the inaugural grade, while also fielding two teams in the Girls 17 and Under grade.

In the boys' grades, Wellington will be represented by three 13 and Under teams, two 15 and Under teams and one 17 and Under team.

Wellington enters the tournament as the defending champions in both the Boys 13 and Under and Girls 17 and Under grades after claiming both titles at last year's Junior Provincials in Auckland.

Robbie Kerr has been involved in junior indoor cricket in the Wellington region for more than 30 years and remains as passionate about the game as ever. As Tournament Director, he is particularly excited by the strength of Wellington's girls' programme, with many players in the Under 15 and Under 17 grades considered promising prospects for future representative honours.

"We're incredibly excited to host the National Championships next week. The support Cricket Wellington continues to provide our junior indoor programme has been outstanding, and it's exciting to see participation continuing to grow. To have a record 50 girls and 60 boys representing Wellington this year is a tremendous achievement and reflects the strength of our player development pathway," Kerr said.

"One of the great benefits of indoor cricket is the way it develops skills that transfer so effectively to the outdoor game. The standard of preparation has been excellent, with our teams training hard under the guidance of an outstanding group of volunteer coaches. Their commitment to our young players has been exceptional.

"Our goal is for every player to enjoy the experience, represent Wellington with pride, learn about being a great teammate and finish the tournament as a more confident and skilful cricketer."

Kerr has witnessed the benefits of the indoor cricket pathway first hand. His daughters, Jess and Melie, both represented Wellington and New Zealand during their teenage years, while many members of the current Wellington Blaze squad also progressed through the junior indoor cricket pathway.

Indoor cricket continues to thrive across the Wellington region, with many outdoor cricketers taking to the indoor game throughout the winter months to further develop their skills in a fast paced environment.

The pathway continues beyond next week's tournament, with the Junior Indoor Cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa in September. A number of Wellington players will be aiming to earn national selection, providing further incentive as they compete for both team success and the opportunity to represent New Zealand on the world stage.

Supporters are encouraged to come along throughout the week and watch some of New Zealand's most promising young indoor cricketers in action.

The full tournament draw is available here: https://nzis.spawtz.com/ActionController/LeagueList?VenueId=7

All Wellington Teams at the conclusion of Junior Provincials 2025 in Auckland.

Article added: Tuesday 30 June 2026