Angus Jemmett. Mid Canterbury cricketer Angus Jemmett seldom has an off day and his all-round capabilities with bat and ball have led to some impressive numbers at both school and representative level. Adam Burns caught up with the 16-year-old and found out what is driving the Ashburton College pupil to the top.

If anyone has the golden touch when it comes to Mid Canterbury cricketing talent it may well be Angus Jemmett.

The Ashburton College Year 12 pupil has been earmarked as an all-rounder of immense promise and his outrageous numbers can not be overstated.

You could argue that his abilities cover off two areas which New Zealand Cricket circles have struggled with; in that he is a run-thirsty opening batsman and a wicket-taking spinner.

As far as he is concerned, he does not identify with either discipline over the other.

“You can have an off day with the bat and come back with the ball, or not have the best day with the ball and come back with the bat.

“It’s pretty hard to split between the two to be honest.”

Captain of the Mid Canterbury under-17 side, he was dragged into the senior representative team last month where the 16-year-old made an instant impression.

Jemmett hit 108 on debut against Otago Country in their Hawke Cup clash in Alexandra in January.

However it should hardly come as a surprise, as every watershed moment Jemmett has encountered, he has exhibited a natural ability.

Making a switch to off spin was a pivotal moment at the age of 10.

“I used to bowl medium pacers then decided to change to off spin,” he said.

“I got five wickets for zero runs that day so I was pretty stoked.

“Have stuck to off spin since then.”

On that particular day, the youngster bowled a double hat-trick, he recalls.

Coming from a strong cricketing family, Jemmett has a Mid Canterbury stronghold of handy cricketers and coaches in his lineage.

“It’s a pretty big cricketing family,” he said.

He also credits the likes of cricket coach Mark Reid in assisting his bowling.

Jemmett grew up idolising the likes of Black Caps heroes Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, alongside Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

As a member of Ashburton College’s 1st XI, he tops both the run-scoring and wicket-taking tallies this season.

Last year, he was in prodigious all-round touch in a two-day game against St Thomas of Canterbury where he scored 122 and secured a 10-wicket match haul, including 7-86 in the second innings.

He said another highlight was his recent performance against Timaru Boys’ High School, where he again did the damage with both bat and ball.

Jemmett scored 132 in Ashburton’s first innings total of 236/5 declared during the two day game a fortnight ago.

He then bowled his side into a match winning position in the second innings with 5-66.

As an opening bat, he made the switch about two years ago, initially in a makeshift capacity.

“I usually batted at three or four.

“Then we had no openers and I got asked to open. Then I thought I may as well take the opportunity.

“It’s not easy but I do enjoy it.”

He has been among the runs at both school and representative levels.

When it comes to batting, he has a very uncomplicated approach, always treating each ball on its merits early on in his innings.

“To start off, I look for singles and hit the boundary balls.

“And then later in the innings, I try and up the run rate.”

Undoubtedly one of Ashburton College’s key players, the 1st XI are tracking well in the Canterbury Schools’ second grade competition.

Jemmett said the side are in the awkward position where they go well in the second grade but struggle making the step up to the premier level.

He is a part of a two-pronged spin attack for his school which includes leg-spinner Liam Sullivan.

“We work well in partnership,” he said.

“Most games we get about eight wickets (combined).”

He also likes to keep well involved in the field.

Although usually fielding in the slips, he says he gets limited opportunities due to the slow and low nature of the typical local wicket.

“I only took my first slip catch in two years the other weekend.”

Jemmett has plenty more opportunities to shine this summer both for Mid Canterbury and Ashburton College.

Moving forward, he is eyeing up the red and black of Canterbury and “building from there”.

And at this stage, higher honours seem an inevitability for this more-than-capable cricketer.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 15 February 2020

Lachie Davidson. Photo supplied.Lachie Davidson has travelled to the other side of the world, been crowned a world champion egg thrower and has just embarked on a career with an internationally recognised company who pride themselves as being outside the box thinkers.

The 22-year-old former Ashburton College head boy is one of four to gain a place in the Synlait Future Leaders Programme. More than 300 people applied.

It’s a three-year accelerated development programme, developed by Synlait organisational development manager Tony Aitken, which will see him undergo leadership training as he learns different facets of the company.

It had a rigorous application process involving application, multiple interviews, psychometric testing and group assessments including working on tasks under pressure while under observation with other applicants.

But Lachie is no stranger to pressure.

In 2019 he and fellow Massey University student, Ben McColgan, under the team name New Zealand Yolk Ferns, took to the final of the World Egg Throwing Championships in Lincolnshire, England and won.

They were up against a Canadian duo and battled it out in 10-metre increments trying to throw and catch the most of three uncracked eggs in the longest distance. The win came down to a final throw by Lachie, made from the 60-metre mark and successfully caught by McColgan.

It was an victory and when national media came calling many egg references came too.

The free trip fitted in perfectly with the university break and he got to travel through Europe during the three week period.

Before global success Lachie was better known in Mid Canterbury for his role as head boy at Ashburton College back in 2015.

He attributes his career direction as being subliminally planted during his final year at high school during agriculture study with teacher Stephen Millichamp.

It involved an international view and looked into production systems with a deer focus, which Mr Millichamp farms.

In 2016 he took a gap year as a Lattitude Global Volunteer, travelling to Ecuador and then Argentina working with special need children and as an English tutor at a language school, respectively.

It was something he’d wanted to do while he was young and said it helped him mature and gave him a better understanding of having

bad happened,experience.

Midway through the year he applied to university.

While the world was his oyster, he chose Massey University in Palmerston North doing a Bachelor of AgriCommerce national Agriculture.

By the time Synlait launched their annual nationwide recruitment drive in early 2019, Lachie had an even better understanding of his world.

Impressed by the Synlait view of things differentlywith environment and sustainability listed among their top priorities, he applied to the programme.

blown away by the environmental side of what the company was doingby their message.

Among some of the initiatives were the change from coal-fired boilers to gas and electrical options, and the set up of the 15 hectare Whakapuawai native tree nursery. It will grow up to one million trees a year which will be given to farm suppliers, and incorporates an annual volunteer planting day for all Synlait employees to get out on farm and help plant trees.

In returning to Canterbury, Lachie has relocated to Christchurch and is living with high school mates, Matthew Rae, Jack Fleming, Logan Coote and Alicia Calles.

His parents, Niki and Rennie, have also moved from rural Mid Canterbury to Little River, at Banks Peninsula, although they have kept a little slice of 24 hectares, which is being used for cropping, along Greenstreet, just out of Ashburton.

the transition easier coming back (to Canterbury),of living with his mates.

The programme will give him insight into all areas of the Synlait operation, from milk supply to manufacturing, quality to business development and sustainability.

He has started in business development based at the Dunsandel site, but will spend four to six months in each role, working shifts where necessary, alongside others to learn the process.

understanding and be able to relate to people on the floor. It’s a good foundation,said.

He is also mentored by a company director to gain insight into senior leadership which is a valuable connection with a visible presence.

And there was a high likelihood of relocation to another of Synlait’s national sites; Auckland, Pokeno, Palmerston North or Temuka but less likely Shanghai in China. It teaches them how to relocate.

Mr Aitken said as a the programme allowed Synlait to ensure there were future leaders, with the necessary knowledge, to support the company’s purpose of differently for a healthier world’.

Synlait employs around 1100 employees; 800 of which work in various roles, and shifts, at the Dunsandel plant.

for the programme in late February, the year prior, targeting final year students at key universities around the country, which offer degrees (with) the best fit to our business operation.

The three year programme rotates participants, such as Lachie and fellow associates Issy Davies, Giorgia Miller-Thevenard and Claire Ye through a variety of roles while they receive leadership training.

By Toni Williams © The Ashburton Courier - 13 February 2020

New Zealand water skiers (from left) George Donaldson, Emily Milner and Hugh Donaldson celebrate their medal-winning performances at the Oz-Kiwi Challenge on Sunday. Photo suppliedMid Canterbury’s group of Kiwi water skiing representatives were among the medals at Lake Crichton following the Oz-Kiwi Challenge.

It was the first time the annual event had been held in the region since the 2014 edition at Lake Hood.

The touring Australians reigned supreme on the water across the four days of competition, however the Kiwis had their moments of glory.

Emily Milner was a multiple medal winner at under-17 level following a tussle with her trans-Tasman rivals.

The Ashburton teen secured bronze medals in the slalom and tricks with a personal best tally of 3210 points.

She went one better in the jump as her 35.1m leap won her silver and a second best ever score to boot.

Ashburton’s George Donaldson took home a bronze medal in the slalom, skiing a best of half a bouy on the short 12m line in the under-21 category.

He placed sixth overall.

Brother Hugh Donaldson placed fourth overall but earned silver in the tricks following two good runs.

A total of 48 skiers from both countries hit the lake, contesting honours in the under-14, under-17 and under-21 categories.

The under-17 and under-21 divisions, in particular, were hotly contested with medals well shared among both nations.

Event co-ordinator Janeen Donaldson said the podiums rewarded “consistency”.

“It’s not an event you can throw away a score in.”

Skiers showcased top form throughout as competitors gunned for Junior World Team selection later in the season.

Australian under-17 representative Sade Ferguson – number one seed in the junior world jump rankings – also broke the New Zealand Girls’ Allcomers Jump Record by over three metres, courtesy of a towering 43.6m leap on Saturday.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 13 February 2020