The BLINDCAPS were training hard at Eden Park one weekend when this video was shot with an interview with Deacan Dunn.
The NZ BLINDCAPS – the New Zealand Blind Cricket Team – are proud to join forces with The Cookie Project to bring you our very own “Fundraising Cookies”.
These cookies are cut, rolled, baked and packed by NZ BLINDCAPS players all in the aid of helping the team raise funds for the 2019/2020 international Blind Cricket schedule which includes an inbound tour of Bangladesh to NZ and an outbound tour of NZ to South Africa.
The Butter Cookies are described as “…the genesis of The Cookie Project – the humble little cookie that sparked joy for everyone, It is made with our Chief of Cookie’s own recipe using the simplest and cleanest ingredients without any additives, preservatives or colouring.” These are the only commercial cookies in New Zealand made with Lewis Road Creamery butter.
In short, The Cookie Project is a social enterprise that employs Kiwi’s with disabilities to make delicious cookies. Founded in 2018 with a purpose of helping Kiwi’s with a disability to understand their own value to themselves and to society.
In a first for The Cookie Project, they’ve joined with us to bring you a special fundraising cookie package. This includes 20 cookies in a special fundraising pouch for $10 – available from Friday 1 November (only available in NZ).
If you’d like to know more or make an order you can get to the store to purchase some of The Cookie Project fundraising cookies!
#NomNomNom
#BlindBakers
Congratulations to the visiting Bangladesh National Blind Cricket Team who won the T20 series against the NZ BLINDCAPS 5-0.
The tour was fraught with issues for the touring side. From delays with visas to delays in flights. All of which resulted in the [originally] 5 T20’s and 1 OD match over 10 days with rest days between, being condensed down to 5 T20’s over 3 days.
For the Internationally inexperienced BLINDCAPS squad this was more an opportunity to teach the players about the playing level of Blind Cricket on an international level. “The newer players to the game, and more specifically this team, needed to understand how high our playing and competition level needs to rise if we’re going to be competitive. We have the abilities within the team for all areas of the game and these matches proved that” - Donna McCaskill, NZBCA Board Chair.
The BLINDCAPS team are recognised by those who attended the matches as one of the strongest NZ teams in a long time. The team took out 4 of the 9 awards for the series, including all fielding awards across the 3 categories.
The Bangladesh team returned home Monday evening celebrating their victory with the squad sharing the joint pride of their first successful victory at an International series outside of the Asia region.
The NZBCA and BLINDCAPS wish to acknowledge the support of our key sponsors and supporters:
Bay Oval Cricket Ground
Freedom2Play
The Cookie Project
Tauranga City Council
Blind Sport New Zealand
The BLINDCAPS team will now be preparing for a tour to Cape Town, South Africa where they’ll be playing a 5 T20 and 2 ODI series against the South African national squad Blindcricket Southafrica.
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Marquele McCaskill
Sight Category: B3
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: T20: 3
Specialist Area: Batsman
Player Brief: Born with congenital cataracts Marquele lost all vision in his left eye due to a retina detachment in 2003. Marquele is the 3rd McCaskill to play Blind Cricket for New Zealand, but he’s a dual international – having made his international debut for Blind Rugby in 2017, 5 months after his Blind Cricket debut. These aren’t the only sports Marquele enjoys, goalball and Blind Hockey are part time fun and indoor netball challenges the fitness. Marquele credits his family with where he is today and the supportive blindness community he was born into. In joking Marquele comments that he works full time in a Warehouse and part time as a PlayStation 4 gamer – much to the disapproval of his partner. The greatest sporting moment for Marquele, making a century against South Australia in the 2018 NZA Development Tour.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Donna McCaskill (Vice Captain)
Sight Category: B3
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: ODI: 18 T20: 9
Specialist Area: Wicket Keeper
Player Brief: Having made her international debut playing alongside her brother in 2000, Donna was the first female to play international Blind Cricket – it’s no surprise that she’s pleased to see the development of a women’s game at an international level after so long. Donna’s highlight has been taking the field with both of her sons in the 2017 T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in India – something she’s excited to do again for the 2019/2020 BLINDCAPS season. Donna has studied in psychology, sociology and human behaviour with an interest in the use of sport as an adjustment/therapy tool for people with disabilities. If Donna finds spare time, it’s spent with family and friends enjoying what life has to offer – or on the odd occasion, taking part in a half marathon, or one of the many blind sports that are on offer.
Directly support Donna by donating to her Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/blindcaps-20192020-season-tours
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Ross Gilmore
Sight Category: B3
Birthplace: Tauranga, live in Rotorua, NZ
Provincial Club: Central Districts
NZ Cap Number: T20: 11
Specialist Area: Wicket Keeper
Player Brief: Finding enjoyment in social mountain biking can prove a challenge on brighter days for Ross. With ocular albinism meaning a need for dark glasses to ease the impact of bright or intense light and slightly different prescriptions for each eye, measuring distance has it’s challenges. With a diploma in technology (civil engineering) Ross is employed full time in this area. The future goal for Ross is to continue working on all aspects of his cricket game. When he’s not out practicing cricket or on his mountain bike, Ross could be spending time with his 2 teenage children, Caitlyn and Ollie, or in the garden.
Directly support Ross by donating to his Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/i-get-to-represent-nz-again
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Mark Flowerday
Sight Category: B3
Birthplace: Nelson, lives in Christchurch
Provincial Club: Canterbury
Specialist Area: All Rounder
Player Brief: Mark plays club cricket for Sydennham and although he sees the ball a little late in the sighted game, he appreciates the vision he has when playing Blind Cricket. With his wife, they share the common interest of collecting contemporary art and often enjoy travelling around New Zealand to facilitate this. Mark is a Senior QS in commercial construction with an aim of being in Commercial Management by 35.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team. We’ve now reached the final category in our team - B3’s
Player Name: Deacan Dunn
Sight Category: B3
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: T20: 5
Specialist Area: All Rounder
Player Brief: A B3 with congenital cataracts, Deacan lost useful vision in his left eye after an infection in early 2019. With ongoing glaucoma issues, Deacan’s vision can fluctuate between categories. Deacan is another dual international, making his international blind cricket debut in 2017, with his international blind rugby debut 5 months later. Having first been selected for NZ in 2016 (at 15), Deacan is one of NZ’s youngest blind cricketers to play blind cricket internationally. A bit of a sportsman, Deacan also enjoys Blind Hockey, Goalball and Blind Soccer. Describing himself as a bit of a prankster, Deacan finds the flat earth concept followers amusing and is commonly known as Sneaky Deac. He enjoys being the local handyman. Having been selected for the BLINDCAPS, his next goal would be to get a strike rate above 100 for a season.
Directly support Deacan by donating to his Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/help-get-me-to-the-game
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Jack Schwenke
Sight Category: B2
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
Specialist Area: Fielder
Player Brief: At 17, Jack comes in as the youngest player in the team. With a rare condition known as Adrenoleukodystrophy, Jack has no useful vision in one eye and very limited partial vision in the other. Jack is still at school where his time is split between BLENNZ School for the Blind and James Cook High School. Being so young, Jack enjoys a range of other sports socially including goalball, blind hockey, blind rugby and athletics. His future goal is to be a part of the 2021 BLINDCAPS T20 World Cup team.
Directly support Jack by donating to his Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/please-help-jack-and-the-nz-blindcaps-fundraise
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: James Dunn (Captain)
Sight Category: B2
Birthplace: Paeroa, living in Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: ODI:3 T20:1
Specialist Area: All Rounder
Player Brief: Having played a lot of domestic cricket, James see’s his eye condition of Retinitis Pigmentosa as an advantage – it means he needs to watch the ball and predict shots while out in the field because the second the ball is out of his tunnel, he’s lost it. But, it works perfectly when batting because your so focused on the ball as it leaves the bowlers hands. James is one of very few triple internationals from new Zealand, being the current IBD (International Bowls for the Disabled) B4 Men’s World Champion and the Captain of the NZ Blind Rugby Team. Clearly James has a love for Blind Sport so he’s always ready to give any new sports ago when they pop up. When he’s not playing sport, James loves to spend his time down at the family batch in Waihi Beach. He’s hoping to one day be a part of a winning team once again – having been a part of the team that won against Sri Lanka in 1998.
Directly support James by donating to his Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/finally-i-get-to-play-at-home
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Jody Cruickshank
Sight Category: B2
Birthplace: Gore, living in Invercargill
Provincial Club: Otago
Specialist Area: Wicket Keeper
Player Brief: Although a butcher by trade, Jody changed career paths and completed diplomas in Human Resources, Management, and Business to find a job that was more suited to his vision – it’s great that he is working full time in a role that allows him to support others within the Ministry of Social Development. As a B2 with retinitis pigmentosa, his supportive family that are always there for him as his vision deteriorates over time has been amazing. In his spare time Jody enjoys gardening or spending time at the beach. He’s aiming to be a part of the BLINDCAPS World Cup team in the near future.
Directly support Jody by donating to his Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/blindcaps-201920-bangladeshsouth-africa-tours
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team. Today we move in to the B2 category.
Player Name: Matthew Carter
Sight Category: B2
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Waikato
Specialist Area: All Rounder
Player Brief: Another player with Retinitis Pigmentosa, Matt likes to find the positive in the opportunities his vision has given him as opposed to the negatives. In Matt’s first season of Domestic Blind Cricket he was ranked top run scorer (average 75.83) and was the top wicket taker of the NZA Development Tour to Australia – both of which he sees as highlights thus far. When Matt isn’t spending time with his teenage children, he enjoys playing poker and on the odd occasion, social goalball. Matt’s first goal of making the BLINDCAPS has been achieved, the next is to be a part of the 2021 BLINDCAPS T20 World Cup squad.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Gary Williamson
Sight Category: B1
Birthplace: Hamilton, lives in Auckland NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: ODI: 5 T20: 16
Specialist Area: All rounder
Player Brief: Although Gary tells us he lives a quiet life with his wife Martine and their 2 guide-dogs, he has a great sense of humour and jokes that a long term goal for him his retirement. Gary has not only represented New Zealand in cricket but also in Goalball and before he was diagnosed with choroideremia – an eye condition that effects the chorider in the eye – enjoyed running around on the rugby field. Before his vision loss, Gary was a qualified electrician, now he enjoys working in the National Contact Centre of Blind+Low Vision NZ.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Dennis Wells
Sight Category: B1
Birthplace: Putaruru (Waikato), living in Blenheim, NZ
Provincial Club: Canterbury
NZ Cap Number: ODI: 8
Specialist Area: Bowler
Player Brief: Having Retinitis Pigmentosa, Dennis is one of very few New Zealand players who has played in all 3 sight categories. While Dennis is considered an all- rounder, his biggest strength is in his bowling. One of our few dual internationals, Dennis is passionate about Goalball where he has represented NZ on multiple occasions, if he has some time available, Dennis may also be found on the back of a tandem cycle – when he can find a pilot rider. As a self-employed Osteopath – having completed a Master of Osteopathy – Dennis is likely to be the only totally blind Osteopath in the world. His osteopathy background supports his beliefs in a natural and alternative way of life. This also fits well with his enjoyment of sitting and listening to the bird life around him whenever he has the chance.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Parveen Shankar
Sight Category: B1
Birthplace: Fiji, lives in Auckland, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: ODI: 28 T20: 14
Specialist Area: Bowler
Player Brief: After losing all of his vision in a car accident in 2004, Parveen quickly learnt about blind cricket. Parveen also plays lawn bowls, indoor bowls and has 2 part time jobs, a baker with the Cookie Project and a guide waiter at Dans le Noir-Dining in the Dark. Taking an international catch at the 2006 OD World Cup is still Parveen’s greatest highlight in sport but off the field, it’s the opportunities he’s been given as a guide waiter and the range of people he gets to show a small piece of his world of darkness too.
Directly support Parveen through Give-A-Little - https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/this-is-my-virtual-cookie-jar-for-the-blindcaps
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
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In the buildup to the BLINDCAPS vs Bangladesh series, we’re introducing you to a player a day from our BLINDCAPS team.
Player Name: Ming Ming Edgar
Sight Category: B1
Birthplace: China, living in Dargaville, NZ
Provincial Club: Manukau South
NZ Cap Number: T20: 6
Specialist Area: Batsman
Player Brief: Blind at birth, Ming Ming is a huge All Blacks follower who often enjoys listening to historical rugby matches. Ming Ming will often be seen in the local community either playing piano at one of the 4 rest homes he visits or taking part in power lifting or Aikido. Ming Ming is the current North Island champion for bench press, having lifted 100kg’s at the last North Island Champs.
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
Each day we’ll introduce you to one of our NZ BLINDCAPS players. Starting off with our B1 category.
Player Name: Steven Donnelly
Sight Category: B1
Birthplace: Hamilton, NZ
Provincial Club: Waikato
NZ Cap Number: ODI: 19, T20: 4
Specialist Area: Bowling
Player Brief: Born with cataracts, Steven lost his sight over time, originally coming into Blind Cricket as a B2 player. Steven has recently become a bit of a fitness buff having tackled 16 half marathons and 2 full marathons. He also loves playing goalball and tandem cycling. Steven and his partner are entrepreneurs, having started a local doggy care business. A sociable person, it’s not a surprise that Steven finds joy in meeting new people, maybe that’s part of the reason Steven is working to save up more, so he can keep travelling!
Directly support the team by donating to their Give-A-Little fund: find out more by visiting https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/20192020-blindcaps-international-events-calendar
#PlayMoreBlindCricket
#BLINDCAPSvsBBCC
