Another kiwi summer is in the scorebooks and that means it's time to roll through New Zealand’s 10 best young cricketers after the summer of 2024/25. The 2023/24 version featured Nathan Smith, Muhammad Abbas, Mitch Hay and Zak Foulkes who all went on the make their Blackcaps debut this season.

Rhys Mariu was an honourable mention because he hadn't played much one-day or T20 cricket to go with his emphatic Plunket Shield production. Mariu added even more four-day runs to start this summer and grew into the other formats for Canterbury, which led to a Blackcaps promotion late in the summer.

This zones in on players who are 25-years-old or younger and have not played for Blackcaps in any format. This leads to the first honourable mention which is Dale Phillips who turned 26yrs prior to the summer starting but he is still one of the best emerging batters across all formats in Aotearoa. Angus McKenzie was also 26yrs for the summer and he has emerged as one of Canterbury's most consistent bowlers in each format.

Other honourable mentions who fit the made up youngster boundaries are Auckland all-rounder Simon Keene (23yrs), Northern Districts wicket-keeper Ben Pomare (24yrs), Wellington batter Gareth Severin (25yrs), Canterbury all-rounder Cameron Paul (20yrs) and two batters from Otago in Thorn Parkes and Llew Johnson (25yrs).

Severin was in the 2023/24 version but he struggled to back it up this summer. He is still a high quality batter to track over the next few summers and along with Johnson, they will progress out of the youngster bracket where they are likely to settle into a consistent groove across the formats.

Auckland

Bevon Jacobs - 22yrs

FC: 59.5avg/56.8sr
LA: 27avg/102.6sr
T20: 32.5avg/148.4sr
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 476 runs @ 59.5avg/56.8sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 251 runs @ 35.8avg/106.8sr, 2 x 50
2024/25 Super Smash: 263 runs @ 37.5avg/140.6sr, 2 x 50

Jacobs has plenty of T20 hype but he showcased his class this summer with a century and three 50+ scores in his first five Plunket Shield games. Most of his four-day runs this summer were scored with grit as he battled through phases of good bowling in the middle order for Auckland and there should be no doubts about his ability to bat for long periods. This is reinforced by Jacobs being Auckland's leading run-scorer for most of the Plunket Shield until his early departure and finished as one of two Auckland batters to score 400+ runs.

They beauty of Jacobs' batting is how he simply extends his strokes to smack big sixes and his crisp timing delivers boundaries. He now has a career List-A strike-rate over 100 to go with his monster T20 strike-rate and the move back to Auckland saw Jacobs settle into a consistent 1st 11 spot across all formats.

Jock McKenzie - 23yrs

FC: 33.3avg/46.3sr | 45.6avg/3.4rpo
LA: 21.7avg/74.7sr | 39.9avg/5.4rpo
T20: 28.4avg/124.5sr | 20.2avg/9.3rpo
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 121 runs @ 24.2avg/37.8sr | 6w @ 35.1avg/4.2rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 244 runs @ 27.1avg/76.7sr, 3 x 50 | 8w @ 46.2avg/5.6rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 134 runs @ 33.5avg/122.9sr | 13w @ 17.9avg/8.9rpo

McKenzie has quietly established himself as one of Aotearoa's best emerging all-rounders. His easy-mahi seam bowling must be a McKenzie whanau thing because older brother Angus shares the same skillset of cruising in, bowling with decent pace and lots of nibble. Jock was solid in Plunket Shield this summer but his best performances came in the one-day and T20 cricket.

McKenzie was one of Auckland's best batters in Ford Trophy and he was also one of the leading seamers as Auckland made the one-day final. While he didn't have a 50+ score in Super Smash, McKenzie was one of three Auckland batters who scored 100+ runs with an average over 30. That was boosted by being a wicket behind Auckland's best bowler Danru Ferns in Super Smash.

Like Jacobs and all fantastic cricketers, McKenzie is a weapon in the field as well.

Northern Districts

Kristian Clarke - 24yrs

FC: 22.6avg/50.3sr | 32.2avg/3.4rpo
LA: 11.1avg/70.2sr | 26.2avg/5.5rpo
T20: 10.1avg/115sr | 25avg/8.9rpo
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 288 runs @ 32avg/41.5sr, 1 x 50 | 16w @ 44avg/3.4rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 79 runs @ 15.8avg/74.5sr | 11w @ 39.5avg/5.9rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 29 runs @ 9.6avg/96.6sr | 12w @ 20.5avg/9.5rpo

Clarke is the only bowler in this group who took 10+ wickets in each format and he flexed his batting ability in his best season of First-Class batting as Northern Districts won the Plunket Shield. Four-day cricket is his best batting zone and he has either scored 200+ runs or averaged 30+ in three of his four FC seasons.

While his Plunket Shield average was 44 this summer, Clarke was tied with Neil Wagner on the most overs bowled for Northern Districts this season. He was fourth for ND wickets in Plunket Shield as well as being second for Ford Trophy wickets and the leading wicket-taker for ND in Super Smash.

Along with Matt Fisher below, Clarke features in the best young cricketers yarn for the second season in a row. Clarke played more than Fisher this summer and along with showing his batting ability, Clarke has now taken 15+ FC wickets and 10+ LA wickets in three consecutive seasons. This was his first summer taking 10+ wickets in Super Smash but he's averaged below 22 in two of his three T20 seasons.

Matt Fisher - 25yrs

FC: 24.1avg/3.7rpo
LA: 25.9avg/5.3rpo
T20: 41.7avg/9.5rpo
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 14w @ 17.7avg/3.3rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 6w @ 35.3avg/6.2rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 5w @ 58avg/9.3rpo

As one of, if not the fastest emerging bowler in Aotearoa, Fisher just wrapped up his third consecutive FC season with 10+ wickets and an average below 26. This gives him an excellent career record in the four-day format and while he only played three games during ND's Plunket Shield championship, Fisher was their most efficient seamer. Add in Jeet Raval's 14w @ 11avg and these two were the only ND bowlers who took 10+ wickets with averages below 20.

Fisher was solid in Ford Trophy and T20 is his weakest format so there is room for development in his multi-format mahi. As he matures, Fisher will be a fun bowler to track given his slippery style and along with Clarke, these two ND seamers will benefit from playing alongside Wagner then snapping up his overs next season.

Central Districts

Curtis Heaphy - 21yrs

FC: 36.2avg/37.5sr
LA: 55.6avg/69.1sr
T20: 25.9avg/109.7sr
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 445 runs @ 37avg/38.3sr, 4 x 50
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 502 runs @ 71.7avg/77.9sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50
2024/25 Super Smash: 195 runs @ 27.8avg/110.7sr, 1 x 50

Heaphy was the leading run-scorer in Ford Trophy and that forms an exceptional one-day batting record. This included his first LA century to go with a FC century from last season and Heaphy now has three 50+ scores in two of his three FC seasons, as well as three 50+ scores in both his LA seasons.

At 21yrs, Heaphy is the youngest batter in this group and he has shown development in the T20 format. Heaphy only played three games in 2023/24 and averaged 21, before churning out 10 games this summer with 27.8avg as CD won the Super Smash. There was a slight increase in his strike-rate from 106.6 to 110.9 along with more runs and a higher average in more Super Smash games, but Heaphy excelled in covering multiple roles for CD as during their championship run.

This offers an insight into the nuance of Heaphy's mahi as his strike-rates are lower than most, even when considering the format. His T20 strike-rate of 110.7 is relatively low but Heaphy has already shown his craft in a winning team and his weight of runs across all formats is impressive for a young talent on the rise.

Will Clark - 23yrs

FC: 35.6avg/57.9sr | 34avg/3.8rpo
LA: 34.3avg/88.4sr | 38.7avg/6.4rpo
T20: 24.8avg/120sr | 19.5avg/9.7rpo
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 208 runs @ 29.7avg/53.8sr, 1 x 100 | 11w @ 28.4avg/4.4rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 119 runs @ 19.8avg/76.7sr | 4w @ 41.7avg/6.6rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 130 runs @ 26avg/136.8sr | 3w @ 25avg/10.7rpo

Clark is another emerging all-rounder who sneaks under the radar and played various roles during CD's Super Smash championship. With the third highest Super Smash batting strike-rate for CD this summer and tied for the most not-outs in this championship run, Clark also scored his first Plunket Shield century this season.

He had a dip in Ford Trophy but his ability to bat anywhere in CD's line up and play any role across the formats, combined with more than handy seam bowling makes Clark an intriguing talent to track. Finishing the Plunket Shield as one of four CD bowlers who took 10+ wickets with an average below 30, Clark also has an efficient T20 bowling record which highlights his nifty skillset as an all-round cricketer.

Wellington

Jesse Tashkoff - 24yrs

FC: 31.8avg/69sr
LA: 45.8avg/103.6sr
T20: 19.4avg/122.2sr
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 317 runs @ 39.6avg/79.2sr, 1 x 100, 2 x 50 | 1w @ 53avg/2.9rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 281 runs @ 70.2avg/98.9sr, 1 x 100, 1 x 50 | 2w @ 59avg/5.1rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 157 runs @ 22.4avg/120.7sr, 1 x 50 | 1w @ 105avg/10.5rpo

Having only settled into consistent 1st 11 selection for Wellington, Tashkoff finished the summer with piles of runs. Tashkoff scored 148 and 84* in his last three Ford Trophy games followed by two 50+ knocks and 109 in the second stanza of Plunket Shield. The centuries were his first in both formats which means that five of his six 50+ scores in his career came in the second half of the summer.

Tashkoff played four Plunket Shield games after one game in each of his two seasons prior. This was his second season of Ford Trophy and Super Smash, stepping up from four one-day games last season to five this season and five T20 games to nine. There were glimpses of his power in Super Smash with five fours and six sixes, before his knock of 148 runs @ 118.4sr in Ford Trophy and a relatively brisk 109 runs @ 88.6 to finish the summer.

His Ford Trophy century came as an opening batter and his Plunket Shield century was in the middle order. Also offering lefty spin, Tashkoff took a wicket in each format and he is likely to feature more consistently in each format for Wellington next season.

Canterbury

Matt Boyle - 22yrs

FC: 28.7avg/62.1sr
LA: 23.6avg/84.2sr
T20: 29.3avg/146.6sr
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 398 runs @ 30.6avg/71.1sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 328 runs @ 39avg/88.8sr, 1 x 100, 1 x 50
2024/25 Super Smash: 377 runs @ 37.7avg/156.4sr, 2 x 50

As the leading run-scorer in Super Smash, Boyle was already commanding a salute as one of Aotearoa's best emerging batters. Boyle also scored his first Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy centuries this season though, which took him to 300+ runs in each competition.

Boyle just finished his third season of each format but this was his first summer playing more than four Plunket Shield and Super Smash games, as well as his first playing over six Ford Trophy games. He was obviously Canterbury's leading run-scorer in Super Smash and finished for Ford Trophy runs as one of two Canterbury batters to pass the 300 run mark, while also being Canterbury's fourth best run-scorer in Plunket Shield.

His career stats don't quite reflect how impressive Boyle is as an emerging lefty batter. This summer saw Boyle gain consistent selection for Canterbury and he responded by being one of their best batters across all formats, which is a fabulous platform for him to build upon next season.

Otago

Max Chu - 25yrs

FC: 32.3avg/44.4sr
LA: 24.2avg/88.7sr
T20: 19.5avg/146.7sr
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 378 runs @ 47.2avg/49.1sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 290 runs @ 36.2avg/109sr, 1 x 50
2024/25 Super Smash: 230 runs @ 28.7avg/155.4sr, 1 x 50

Chu missed the last three games of Plunket Shield but the damage was already done as the wicket-keeper had his best season in each format. Chu hit his second Plunket Shield century and while he couldn't make it three consecutive years with 400+ runs, Chu averaged 40+ for the first time in six FC seasons.

He also scored 200+ runs in Ford Trophy and Super Smash for the first summer, with his first 50+ scores in those formats. All of which makes this a career-best season for Chu and it gets better considering he had the highest Super Smash strike-rate for all Otago batters, as well as the highest Ford Trophy strike-rate for Otago batters who scored 100+ runs.

The lefty has now played 35+ games in each format and given the various roles he has played for Otago already, there are signs of Chu's ability in his FC average of 32 and T20 strike-rate of 147. Many in the deep south would believe that Chu is just as good a wicket-keeper as Mitch Hay, while folks around Aotearoa should know that after a career-best season, Chu is right behind Hay as the next best wicket-keeper/batter for Blackcaps.

Luke Georgeson - 25yrs

FC: 22.6avg/36.5sr | 32.7avg/3.2rpo
LA: 35.5avg/77.4sr | 22.8avg/5.3rpo
T20: 18.5avg/122.1sr | 25avg/8.9rpo
2024/25 Plunket Shield: 345 runs @ 43.1avg/42.2sr, 1 x 100 | 12w @ 23.5avg/2.7rpo
2024/25 Ford Trophy: 175 runs @ 35avg/94sr | 5w @ 19avg/4.7rpo
2024/25 Super Smash: 58 runs @ 14.5avg/131.8sr | 5w @ 36.4avg/9.5rpo

Despite missing chunks of the summer with five games in Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy, Georgeson is one of the most impressive cricketers in Aotearoa. This was evident in new Otago coach Ashley Noffke making Georgeson the Otago skipper this season and he led them admirably, with plenty of scope to take Otago further.

Georgeson scored his first Plunket Shield century but he has a 50+ score in all five of his FC seasons, with back to back campaigns scoring 300+ runs. He also has two seasons in a row with 10+ wickets and this summer was his best FC bowling season, joining spinner Dale Phillips as the only Otago bowlers who took 10+ wickets and averaged below 30.

Averaging 35 with the bat and 19 with the ball, Georgeson was efficient in Ford Trophy. T20 is his weakest format and while he played seven Super Smash games, he only faced 44 deliveries and bowled 19 overs. Georgeson still found a thread of efficiency in the Super Smash with a batting strike-rate of 131.8 and a bunch of wickets. Stash all of this under the umbrella of Georgeson being a young leader on the rise and he's a all-rounder to watch out for heading into next season.

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Peace and love.