TOP CLASS: Yorkshire batsman Alex Lees set a new scoring record for Bay of Plenty on debut at Bay Oval. PHOTO: ANDREW WARNER
TOP CLASS: Yorkshire batsman Alex Lees set a new scoring record for Bay of Plenty on debut at Bay Oval. PHOTO: ANDREW WARNER
It would be hard to find a more impressive debut than that of Yorkshire county player Alex Lees for Bay of Plenty at Bay Oval this weekend.
Lees, 23, scored 223 to help Bay of Plenty lock in the first defence of the Hawke Cup this summer.
The Bay reached690-9 against Counties Manukau, batting for two days after being sent in. Counties Manukau had no answer to the batting onslaught, using 10 bowlers with little reward.
Lees broke the Bay of Plenty all-time Hawke Cup scoring record of 194 set by Brett Hampton against Hamilton four years ago.
Lees, who captains Yorkshire in limited-overs cricket and is a team-mate of Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, shared a second-wicket partnership of 197 with captain Peter Drysdale who made a patient 84.
Lees was lucky at the start of his innings, snicking a ball wide of second slip on three, but soon showed why he has already scored 4104 first-class runs with a magnificent display of timing, placement and concentration.
His 100 came off 113 balls with a neat 50 in boundaries, and his 200 came off 234 balls with 20 fours and one six.
Ben Musgrave (61) shared a partnership of 102 with Lees for the third wicket, with Tim Clarke (45) and Tom MacRury (32) making useful contributions.
Donovan Deeble (108) and Sean Davey (53) combined for a stand of 157 for the seventh wicket with Deeble making his first century for Bay of Plenty. Tony Goodin was 35 not out at stumps.
INSPIRED: Donovan Deeble scored his first century for Bay of Plenty at Bay Oval on Sunday. PHOTO: GEORGE NOVAK
Lees was pleased to have made a major contribution in his first major innings since the end of the English county season.
He admitted to being a bit rusty at the start of his innings, with just two limited overs knocks for Tauranga Boys' College in the Baywide competition to prepare.
"I think the wicket was quite slow and I hadn't played any three-day cricket or four-day cricket since September. The partnership with Pete [Drysdale] was really valuable and put us in a good position. He would be disappointed in how he got out but his innings was vital to our day's success."
Lees has enjoyed his time in Tauranga since arriving earlier this month, particularly training and playing with the Tauranga Boys' First XI.
"It is great they play in the league and compete against men every Saturday. For me I have just enjoyed playing with the lads and have tried to give a few nuggets of information and get a few runs before the Hawke Cup fixture."
There is a strong connection with Lees and the Hawke Cup.
In 2015 aged 22, Lees was named Yorkshire captain in both one-day formats - the youngest Yorkshire captain since Lord Hawke in 1882.
Hawke was the first amateur captain of Yorkshire and the county's most successful captain, winning the County Championship a record eight times.
He presented the Hawke Cup named after him while in New Zealand in 1910.
