2023/24 Ford Trophy: Five Best Youngsters
On the day of the Ford Trophy final between Canterbury and Auckland we come together in harmony to celebrate the five best youngsters. Will O'Rourke isn't listed below and he is in Canterbury's squad for the final after an exceptional domestic season. Below the hype of O'Rourke's Blackcaps ODI and Test debuts, O'Rourke is averaging below 20 in all three domestic formats this season. His Blackcaps promotion rules him out of the this top-five mixer though.
The youngster bracket doesn't include slightly older lads Will O'Donnell (39.1avg/73sr), Troy Johnson (41.6avg/72sr) and Ray Toole (23.3avg/4.9rpo) who are all 26-years-old. Toole finished third for wickets and was one of three bowlers (including Blair Tickner) who took 17+ wickets as a lefty seamer for Central Districts. Toole is brewing as the next up lefty behind Ben Lister in Aotearoa's bowling depth and his mahi deserves a salute.
O'Donnell finished fourth for runs and Johnson seventh. O'Donnell is Auckland's third leading run-scorer behind older bro Rob and Finn Allen, while Johnson finished Ford Trophy as Wellington's leading run-scorer. Johnson was Wellington's only batter to score 260+ runs (333 runs) and averages 35 in List-A cricket, while O'Donnell is a smidge lower on 34.9avg.
Canterbury's wicket-keeper Mitch Hay didn't dominate Ford Trophy but he scored the most runs for wicket-keepers. Hay earned selection in the Plunket Shield First Stanza All Stars and showcased his class in a powerful Super Smash campaign, before returning to FT where he hasn't quite found a groove in the last five games. Hay had two 50+ scores in the first four games though and he is building foundations as the best young wicket-keeper/batter in Aotearoa.
Mitch Hay - 23yrs - Canterbury
Ford Trophy: 252 runs @ 28avg/74sr
Plunket Shield: 248 runs @ 41.3avg/54sr
Super Smash: 170 runs @ 28.3avg/165sr
Career Mahi
List-A: 23.8avg/74sr
First-Class: 42.2avg/55sr
T20: 19.2avg/148sr
Hay's Canterbury comrade Zak Foulkes enters the FT final as their leading wicket-taker, boosted by 2+ wickets in four of his last five games. Foulkes was in the Plunket Shield First Stanza Emerging All Stars and while he isn't quite at the same sub-20 average mark as O'Rourke, Foulkes is right there with O'Rourke this summer. Foulkes also averages below 23 in all three formats early in his career and Canterbury haven't required his nifty batting in FT, but Foulkes has flashed that ability in SS cameos and hearty PS innings.
Zak Foulkes - 21yrs - Canterbury
Ford Trophy: 15w @ 21.1avg/4.6rpo
Plunket Shield: 15w @ 18.7avg/2.6rpo
Super Smash: 14w @ 16.2avg/6.6rpo
Career Mahi
List-A: 14.2avg/70sr | 22.1avg/4.5rpo
First-Class: 18.4avg/42sr | 22.1avg/3rpo
T20: 26.2avg/128sr | 15.8avg/6.9rpo
Otago's duo of Thorn Parkes and Luke Georgeson were instrumental in taking their team to the elimination final against Auckland. That final started with Georgeson carving out 120 runs @ 80sr and he was a key figure in the games leading up to that loss to Auckland, snaring 12w in three games including two baggies of 5w against Wellington.
Georgeson left Wellington to join Otago for this season and his first season down south reflects his career stats, skewing towards one-day excellence. Georgeson is Otago's second leading run-scorer and he finished fourth for wickets as Otago's only bowler to take more than 13w in FT.
Luke Georgeson - 24yrs - Otago
Ford Trophy: 253 runs @ 28.1avg/80sr | 16w @ 15avg/4.3rpo
Plunket Shield: 164 runs @ 23.4avg/35sr | 7w @ 38.5avg/3.2rpo
Super Smash: 22 runs @ 22avg/95sr | 1w @ 32avg/8rpo
Career Mahi
List-A: 35.6avg/74sr | 23.5avg/5.4rpo
First-Class: 18.8avg/33sr | 39avg/3.5rpo
T20: 20.8avg/118sr | 15.6avg/7.8rpo
Parkes dropped down the order for Otago in their elimination final and this was probably due to Otago promoting more aggressive batters after a strong opening partnership. Parkes offered a glimpse of his ability with 21 runs @ 210sr against Auckland though and this is notable because Parkes had a strike-rate of 72 at the end of Otago's FT run.
In his first eight innings of one-day cricket, Parkes has three 50+ scores and averages 53. Parkes has stacked up more appearances in PS which highlights Parkes as a young batter with grit who has a century and six 50+ scores in his 24 innings of PS. Parkes finishes FT as Otago's best batter and of the 17 lads who score 250+ runs, Parkes and Georgeson are the only lads from Otago in that group.
Thorn Parkes - 23yrs - Otago
Ford Trophy: 319 runs @ 53avg/72sr
Plunket Shield: 164 runs @ 20avg/45sr
Super Smash: 25 runs @ 92sr
Career Mahi
List-A: 53.1avg/72sr
First-Class: 30.3avg/42sr
T20: 14avg/77sr
The leading wicket-taker in FT before the final is Kristian Clarke and it would take 3+ wickets from Foulkes or Auckland's Danru Ferns to nudge Clarke out of the top spot. Clarke was also in the PSFS Emerging All Stars and he had a dip during SS as Northern Districts struggled for wins, before returning to FT with 9w in his last five games.
Clarke is the only lad with 18w in FT and he didn't take any wickets in the last two games of FT, while the next best ND bowler is another youngster in Matt Fisher on 12w (30.8avg/5.2rpo). LA cricket is Clarke's best format and even with SS struggles this summer, Clarke is hovering around the below-30avg mark in all three formats.
Kristian Clarke - 22yrs - ND
Ford Trophy: 18w @ 22.3avg/5.3rpo
Plunket Shield: 17w @ 17.1avg/3.8rpo
Super Smash: 3w @ 51.3avg/8.3rpo
Career Mahi
List-A: 8.5avg/66sr | 21.8avg/5.4rpo
First-Class: 22.4avg/63sr | 26.9avg/3.4rpo
T20: 10.6avg/139sr | 30avg/8.5rpo
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