New World and cricketing greats bat for cricket in Christchurch schools

6 June 2023

New Zealand cricket heavyweights Todd Astle (Black Caps) and Amy Satterthwaite (former NZ White Fern), dropped into New World Northwood to celebrate the recent launch of the store’s initiative to encourage more school kids to get into cricket.

Astle and Satterthwaite, who was recently appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to cricket in the King’s Birthday Honours, were instore last week to promote the initiative, dreamt up by New World Northwood owner operator Greg Boock and Blair Franklin at Kookaburra Cricket, supplier and manufacturer of premium quality cricket gear.

Together, with the support of Christchurch New Worlds, Canterbury Cricket and the Foodstuffs South Island Community Trust, they’ve helped raise thousands of dollars to donate cricket gear to schools across Christchurch.

Almost $14,000 was raised to provide every New World in Christchurch with 52 sets of cricket gear to donate to local primary schools.

As part of Foodstuffs South Island’s commitment to be Here for New Zealand, New World stores have made a commitment and a promise to support communities to thrive, and this is one way our stores give back to the communities they serve.

Coming from a sporting family, Greg makes it a priority to support local sports clubs in his community, including rugby, cricket and football. His uncle Stephen Boock is a former New Zealand cricketer and his other uncle is sports journalist Richard Boock.

“We really get behind our local schools and scouts clubs and the like,” Greg says.

“Sport has always been a big part of our family, and it’s great to be able to encourage the next generation of Christchurch kids to get involved, have fun and potentially go on to do big things.”

Blair Franklin, Kookaburra Sport Territory Manager – South Island, said it was a fantastic initiative, and thanked New World for helping to set it up.

“We now have more children playing cricket in these schools than ever before, and I know Canterbury cricket is looking to build on this initiative to further promote the sport in schools,” Blair said.

New World Ilam owner operator Marc Brokenshire took his daughter, Zara, along to the event on Thursday last week.

All of Marc’s daughters play cricket and he described Zara as the most “cricket-obsessed” so it was a great opportunity for her to be there and get some one-on-one time with some cricketing legends, Marc said.

From left, Blair Franklin, Kookaburra Sport Territory Manager – South Island, former NZ White Fern Amy Satterthwaite MNZM, New World Northwood owner operator Greg Boock, cricket fan Zara Brokenshire, New World Ilam owner operator Marc Brokenshire, Black Cap Todd Astle, Canterbury Cricket Club chief executive Jeremy Curwin.