Northern Districts Under-19s Men's have finished fourth at this year's National Tournament. 

The men's National Under-19 Tournament is one of New Zealand's longest standing amateur tournaments and is strongly contested by the Major Associations each season.

The tournament also has the special purpose of identifying and developing those high performing players who will go on to represent New Zealand at the ICC Under-19 World Cup. This ICC event is held every two years, and is the first opportunity for these cricketers to perform on an international stage. 

Day One

Northern Districts and Otago tied match

Northern Districts U19 and Otago U19 achieved a rare tied result in their Round One one-dayer on Lincoln Green. Northern Districts had been set a target of 243 to win, but were restricted to 242 for nine in the last over, despite number four batsman Thorn Parkes, from Gisborne, remaining unbeaten at the death on 85*.

Scorecard

Day Two

Auckland U19 beat ND U19 by 148 runs

The biggest victory of day two belonged to Auckland who bounced back from yesterday's last-ball defeat with a comfortable victory over neighbours Northern Districts.

A century to Conor Ansell (109 off 123) set up a strong total for Auckland after they won the toss and batted on Lincoln No.3, the first drop having put on a 104-run second wicket stand with Quinn Sunde (40) after Sunde had lost his opening partner to a diamond duck.

After Sunde was caught and bowled in the 20th over, Jock McKenzie (68) stepped in to form another strong stand, putting on 99 with Ansell for the third wicket before Ansell was finally bowled by Katene Clark in the 39th over.

At 203 for three, Auckland had a tremendous platform to attack and ND did well to hold them to 261 for six, using nine bowlers in the process.

In response, however, ND couldn't come up with the big partnerships to match Auckland's efforts and make a chase of it. Captain and number four Thorn Parkes again contributed with a knock of 41, but aside from 33 from opener Jake Russ (a patient 33 off 70 balls) no one else could get going against the well drilled Aucklanders who zoomed through the last six wickets for a cost of only 32 runs.

Auckland's first win took them to four points, equal with CD in the middle of the table.

Scorecard

Day Three

ND U19 beat Canterbury U19 by 97 runs

A big total put Canterbury under pressure on Bert Sutcliffe Oval. Northern Districts opted to bat first and it paid dividends with Jake Russ putting on a century at the top. His 100 off 122 balls included seven boundaries and a six, and with Ollie White he put on a solid 129 for the first wicket to set up the game.

White reached 73 (seven boundaries, two sixes) before a wicket finally fell in the 30th over, Jack Harris making two quick strikes. But captain Thorn Parkes belted a quick 34 off just 22 balls at four, before Hayden Dickson smashed a ballistic 44 off 19 balls (two fours, four sixes) to really put Canterbury under the pump.

Needing 315, Canterbury lost an early wicket but their other opener Nicholas Lindstone reached a half century. The problem for Canterbury was that they couldn't build a big partnership, regular wickets pegging them back. Despite a half century from Harris at six, they couldn't get close and, as the required rate escalated, were bowled out for 217 with five overs to spare.

Scorecard

Day Four

Northern Districts U19 beat Wellington U19 by six wickets

Northern Districts produced their second win on the bounce, becoming the first side to get one over defending champions and early leaders Wellington in another thrilling last-over finish.

Wellington opted to bat first, but struggled for early momentum as ND bowled tightly through the first overs. The pressure created wickets, Hamilton's Michael Lanting chipping out a both the first drop and number four while Katene Clarke had made the first breakthrough in the fifth and went on to claim 3-64 off his nine.

By then, however, Wellington had fought back from 84 for four and the late order was threatening to go big. Tim Campbell and Tom Jones did the business with a cracking 76-run stand for the sixth wicket, before Clarke bowled Jones on 30 in the 42nd. Then he gave Campbell the same treatment in his next over, stopping the number six in his tracks just after he had reached his half century.

Still Wellington kept coming at them, however, with Tim Robinson blasting an unbeaten 40 off 29 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes, to pump up the volume at the death.

Defending 235 for seven, Wellington was in with a shot of remaining unbeaten but ND had other plans and made a blazing start to the reply with a first wicket stand of 52. Jesse Tashkoff made the breakthrough in the eighth over with Hamilton's Will Muldowney caught after having pummelled a quick 33 off just 21 balls.

Jake Russ would meanwhile bat into the 38th over for his anchoring 60, building a key 95-run stand for the third wicket with captain Thorn Parkes. Parkes continued his solid tournament with a match-winning unbeaten 90*, emerging as the top run-scorer in Lincoln after four rounds with 251, ahead of Central's Thomas Zohrab on 239 and Russ not far behind on 218.

Scorecard

Day Five

Northern Districts U19 and Central Districts U19 tied match

Opting to bat first, ND got off to a good start on Bert Sutcliffe Oval at 88 without loss before CD broke through with two wickets after the drinks break. Opener Ollie White remained, and carried on to a half century after his opening stand with Jake Russ (35). When Quinn Childs finally had him caught, two wickets fell in the space of two deliveries as Childs trapped Katene Clarke as well in the 25th over. However, ND captain Thorn Parkes's form continued to shine with a big unbeaten 86 at five, enjoying an unbroken 83-run stand with Ben Pomare (33* off 29) for the sixth wicket that got them up to their 257 for six.

Akash Gill scored a century off 111 balls in reply, the first drop steadying and then leading CD's chase after both opening batsmen departed with the score on 25. Captain Kurtis Weeks combined with him, scoring a half century as the pair put together an 83-run stand for the third wicket before Weeks was run out in the 24th over. The support kept coming for Gill, however, with Nic Clarke reaching 37 and David Zohrab a quick 30 as they closed in on their target. Fergus Lellman was dangerous at the death as he picked up 3-44 but by the end of the 50th ND couldn't believe they had tied their second match in the space of a week, CD finishing on 257 for seven. The result meant ND stayed two points ahead of CD on the table, in third and fourth respectively.

Scorecard

Day Six

Northern Districts U19 beat Wellington U19 by 53 runs

Scorecard

Northern Districts opted to bat first on Lincoln No.3 in a match reduced to 17 overs per side, and got off to a blistering start with 17 off the first over then 16 off the second, including three sixes. The sixes were all Muldowney's handiwork while fellow opener Ollie White would reach his 41 off just 21 balls.

A breakthrough in the fourth helped Wellington regain some control, soon getting ND three down - including the big wicket of Thorn Parkes for just six.

Devane got in at five, however, and picked up the pace again, slamming two sixes before losing his partner Pomare at 117 for four early in the 13th. As Greenwood came into the attack, Devane stepped up and went again, keeping the runs flowing en route to his 47 off just 24 balls, before Sharma picked him up at 145 for five.

Another wicket next over helped Wellington's cause, and two balls later Greenwood got another to start the final 17th: ND was now seven down but with a healthy 160 already, with incumbent Dickson having meanwhile raced to 18 off just eight balls.

Chasing ND's ultimate 168 for seven, Wellington got off to a rocky start in reply by losing both openers at 15 for two, despite having pumped 15 off the first five balls of the first over.

Morris-Brown and Naylor picked the pair up in the space of three balls. Greenwood and Campbell got things moving again quickly until Tim Pringle struck with his first ball of the match, bowling Greenwood to have Wellington 44 for three after 4.2 overs, and still needing almost 10 an over.

Another handy wicket next over spelt more trouble for the defending champs at 49 for four, 120 still required. Despite Campbell's 36 at first drop, the wheels feel off the Wellington innings as Lanting grabbed four for 13, Wellington bowled out well short in just the 14th over.

Day Seven

Otago U19 beat Northern Districts by 7 runs

Scorecard

Day Eight

Northern Districts U19 lost to Canterbury U19 by 8 runs

Scorecard