That boost to the playing stocks follows a 13% increase in the previous year. However, the majority of the growth has been in the junior ranks.
The introduction of the Girls Smash leagues throughout the region attracted 500 new players to the sport and accounted for most of the growth, while secondary school and adult playing numbers remained static, Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan said.
''There has been an increase in kids playing cricket for the first time ... but it is like a leaky bucket. When you get to high school, we know that is where our retention issues sit.
''That's a real work-on for all the major associations for the next two or three years. We're hoping for a national delivery of some sort of high school strategy.''
Coggan hopes further funding from New Zealand Cricket will help it build on the promising start it made after the introduction of Girls Smash.
The other issue facing the sport is the continuing trend away from Saturday cricket to modified versions of the game.
''Senior players are moving more towards user pays and away from club cricket, and we've seen another spike in twilight and modified cricket [such as the Wanaka 6s].
''But we've seen no genuine growth around the adult and youth competitions. It is pretty much static.''
•Former Otago captain Craig Cumming has been contracted for a fixed term to help coach the region's identified players. He will work alongside Mark Bracewell and Adam Miles, who last season guided the Otago under-19 team to national glory.
•Volts strength and conditioning coach Adam Keen is leaving Dunedin today to take up a role with the Munakata Sanix Blues Rugby Club in Japan.
Keen likes to keep a low profile and declined an interview, but Coggan said he had been a valued member of the Volts management who deserved the wonderful opportunity he had taken up.
