Joel Meade. Remember the name.
The 17-year-old King's High School pupil whacked three consecutive centuries for the Dunedin Cricket Association under-17 team at a regional tournament in Oamaru over Labour Weekend.
In the first game against North Otago, he swatted 109 from 54 deliveries, including 13 sixes and three fours.
Otago Country's bowling attack came under fire in game two, Meade scoring 171. That innings featured 12 sixes and 14 fours and he followed up the impressive knock with 119 against Southland and another 10 sixes and 10 fours - yes, 100 runs in boundaries.
''I'm pretty stoked. It was feeling all right in the weekend,'' Meade said, in rather understated fashion.
Oddly, the young right-hander started out as more of a grafter.
''Just in the last couple of years I've picked up the scoring rate a wee bit. I used to be quite a slow batsman but it has changed in the last couple of years.
''I'm not too sure why. Maybe one good game got me going, I guess.''
Meade scored 399 runs at an average of 133 and a strike rate of 191.33. In all, he hit 35 sixes and 27 fours. Not bad for a noodler.
Meade's grandfather, Peter Semple, played 33 first-class games for Otago from 1961 to 1972, scoring 1188 runs at 21.60, including one century. A part-time spinner, he also took four wickets.
Meade would like to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and play first-class cricket. But his goal in the next couple of years is to make the New Zealand under-19 team.
Meade was in Christchurch yesterday to attend the Willows Cricket Club dinner, where former All Black coach Sir Graham Henry was expected to be one of the guest speakers.
