LEAD STORY - CRICKET COMP: Hunt for batsmen who can go distance | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

ANENDRA SINGH

It could be the prelude to solving a global problem.

Not the carbon footprint and earning enough credits to counter pollution in the world.

No, it's something much closer to people's hearts, especially after the bails have been lifted and the beer mugs start overflowing.

It's that burning question: ``Who can hit a cricket ball the furthest?'

Akin to the longest drive in golf, Central Districts Cricket Association boss Blair Furlong is preparing for New Zealand Cricket's bid to find out who is the man (or woman) who can crack the white ball the longest distance for the bragging rights during the State Twenty20 national final at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Thursday, February 26.

Next Wednesday, Hawke's Bay Cricket supremo Dale Smidt will marshall four stations at Nelson Park, Napier, to see who can crack the leather projectile far enough to make the cut for a shot at the Bay title during the half-time break of the State Twenty20 match between the Central Districts Stags and the Wellington Firebirds at 7pm on Wednesday, February 4.

``Any club cricketer who wants to have a crack at it can take part. We have sent out flyers to all the premier clubs but thirds, fourths whoever can compete too,' Smidt told SportToday.

The association hoped to make a day of it next Wednesday, he said, by throwing in the fastest bowler, accuracy and longest throw competitions too. Bay umpires will help Smidt co-ordinate and marshall the four stations as players will be rotated around the field to avoid any bottle-necks.

Accuracy will be tested by throwing a ball to one stump at a fixed distance and a radar will be used to clock the speed merchants.

``A lot of young quickies now think they are bowling around 140kmh. So we'll be able to work out just how quick is Jeremy Kuru. It'll be a lot of fun,' Smidt said of the 5.50pm start that will create a carnival atmosphere with a barbecue and the Nelson Park Pavilion opening its bar.

Only the big bat boys will have the chance to progress to NZ Cricket's ``Big Hit Competition', which will be launched early next month in Auckland.

The top three qualifiers next Wednesday will join three other spectators, whose names will be drawn out of a hat, to see who earns the right at the Twenty20 match on February 4 to measure up against other CD region hopefuls from Taranaki and Manawatu.

The biggest hitter will then join the five other State teams representatives for the national bash-off. Furlong said: ``A Black Cap will join them and one other major association player will be picked to make up eight competitors at the final in Wellington, which is the day before the Twenty20 international (Caps versus India) in the capital.'

The major associations - CD, Northern Districts, Wellington, Auckland, Canterbury and Otago - will send their hopefuls to the launching of the competition in Auckland on February 2, to select the player to represent all major associations.

For now, the global debate rages on who is the biggest hitter in the international arena.

Is it CD allrounder Jacob Oram, South African Albie Morkel, new Aussie kid on the block Dave Warner, Pakistani Shahid Afridi, West Indian Chris Gayle, Indian Yuvraj Singh, Englishman Kevin Pietersen or Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuria? It appears the distance varies from 119m to 124m, depending on who is saying it.

If the International Cricket Council is prepared to dig deep into its pockets, that question can be answered once all the cricketing protagonists let the dust settle in their respective countries to send their delegates to the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England from June 5-21.

HOW IT WORKS:

The State Big Hits Competition elimination competitions will be held in Central Districts as follows -

Basic rules: The ball will be lobbed on the full to the hitter who will try to send it as far as he/she can within the confines of an area.

Club entries to participate as follows:

1) Hawke's Bay: Nelson Park, Napier, Wednesday, January 28, at 5.50pm.

2) Taranaki: Pukekura Park, Sunday, January 25, at the innings break in State Shield match.

3) Manawatu: Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, Wednesday, February 18 at 5.30pm.

State entries during their Twenty20 home matches:

Napier: February 4.

New Plymouth: February 8.

Palmerston North: February 22.

In addition to the three club winners three people will be pulled ``from the hat' at the Twenty20 games so six people will hit off at the above matches.

The winning CD hitter (the longest from the three regional matches) will attend the Big Hits National Final at Westpac Stadium on Thursday, February 26 and hit off against a representative from the other five major associations, a Black Cap yet to be named and a major association player representing all major associations.