Bay of Plenty to defend Hawke Cup this weekend

IN CHARGE: Peter Drysdale will captain Bay of Plenty and open the batting in the Hawke Cup defence against Counties Manukau this weekend. PHOTO:FILE

Hawke CupBy Peter White

Cricket's version of the Ranfurly Shield goes on the line when Bay of Plenty take on Counties Manukau at Bay Oval in a three-day match beginning tomorrow. Bay of Plenty will defend the prestigious trophy on the 29th occasion the Bay has been involved in Hawke Cup matches since 1932.

Captain Peter Drysdale has played in eight of those. He has a well-balanced side to lead, despite missing key players Jono Boult, Bharat Popli and Brett Hampton who are playing for Northern Districts.

On the plus side Bay of Plenty get batsman Joe Carter and strike pace bowler Tony Gooding back from ND. Gooding has taken a Bay of Plenty record 34 wickets in seven Hawke Cup matches and is the only Bay bowler with a 10-wicket match haul.

Yorkshire's limited overs skipper Alex Lees, 23, will bat at three behind Drysdale and Tom MacRury. Lees is a fine player who has scored 4104 first-class runs and 1095 in limited overs cricket.

Drysdale says the Bay's batting "is as strong as it could be".

"We have Tom and myself then Alex, Joe Carter is back from the Knights and Ben Musgrave. Tim Clarke and Sean Davey at six and seven are in form and have scored a lot of runs.

"We are feeling confident about the batting but it is about doing it this weekend, and if we do well this weekend then doing it again and again. Good Hawke Cup batting is about consistency and posting those big numbers.

"Bowling-wise it has shaped up better than expected with injuries. It is great we have Tony Gooding to spearhead us and he is just over a bad back so we are lucky to have him before he is back with ND. Also Donovan Deeble has performed particularly well when he has played for the Bay and Sean Davey has such great control, he can still do a job for us even at three-quarter fitness.

"Chris Atkinson should make the 11 and then on the day we will make the decision about playing leg spinner Iman Singh or Gurwinder Singh who is another seamer."

Bay of Plenty coach Graeme Aldridge played in three Hawke Cup challenges in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

"I want the guys to approach every game that we play in the same way, regardless of who we are playing or in what competition," he said. "The danger of playing Hawke Cup cricket is perceiving it to be more intense that Fergus Hickey as the guys try too hard and play differently to their normal games.

"We've prepared very well, so if guys are relaxed and play how they play then I think the outcome will take care of itself. The key elements are to be aware of what they are doing but more importantly worry about what we are doing.

"All I want to see, is guys trying as hard as they can to help the team win."

Livescoring at www.blackcaps.co.nz from 10.30am Saturday to Monday.

Bay of Plenty team v Counties Manukau
Peter Drysdale (capt), Tom MacRury, Alex Lees, Joe Carter, Ben Musgrave, Chris Atkinson, Tim Clarke, Iman Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Sean Davey, Donovan Deeble, Tony Gooding.
Coach Graeme Aldridge, assistant coach Charles Williams