BOP enjoy big win over Poverty Bay

IN FORM: Opening batsman Tom MacRury scored a century and reached 1000 runs for Bay of Plenty on the weekend. PHOTO/FILE

Bay of Plenty well and truly avenged the loss of the Rigden Shield to Poverty Bay back in March with a comprehensive victory by an innings and 70 runs in Gisborne over the weekend.

In the first Fergus Hickey game of the 2016/17 season, Poverty Bay won the toss and elected to bat. They were quickly under attack from the Bay of Plenty bowlers and lost their first two wickets with just seven runs on the board.

Led by a five-wicket bag from Tony Goodin, Bay of Plenty removed the home side for a modest 101, with Poverty Bay's highest score of 20 reflecting the damage done by the Bay of Plenty bowlers. Sean Davey also bowled with enthusiasm to return figures of 2-7.

Bay of Plenty hammered the Poverty Bay bowling attack to declare at 304-4. Opening batsmen Tom MacRury became just the 22nd Bay of Plenty player to reach 1000 runs when he blasted 105 off just 116 balls. Skipper Peter Drysdale (73) and Ben Musgrave (65) both made significant contributions to Bay of Plenty's big total.

"We put on quick runs on Sunday morning before bowling Poverty Bay out again to take home an innings and 70-run win," Bay of Plenty coach, Graeme Aldridge, said.

"Collectively the team performed well as a unit with Tony Goodin getting five wickets.
Tom MacRury played aggressively with the bat for his hundred, which set us an opportunity to go for the outright win."

Aldridge mentioned Alastair Blackett, Amin Singh and Gurwinder Singh who were all making their Bay debuts.

"All three debutants got their first wickets for Bay of Plenty and they were all very calm and did their jobs when they were needed."

With maximum points from the Poverty Bay game in the bank, Bay of Plenty now turn their attention to Northland at the Bay Oval in a fortnight's time.

"It was a very good start to the season in Gisborne and looking ahead to Northland in two weeks time. It will obviously give us a better indication of how we are travelling as a team but we are confident that we should match up well," Aldridge said.

Poverty Bay 101 (G Singh 20; Tony Goodin 5/30, Sean Davey 2/7) & 133 Bay of Plenty 304/4 (Tom MacRury 105, Peter Drysdale 73, Ben Musgrave 65; A Kumar 2/34)
Result: Bay of Plenty won by an innings and 70 runs.

Michael Wright (3950) Derek Beard(2843) Bharat Popli (2731) Matthew Hart (2446) Grant Manners (2368) Peter Drysdale (2268) Jono Boult (1973) Joe Carter(1851) Brett Hampton (1798) Richard Shrimpton (1780) Grant McKenzie (1643) David White (1471) Andy Roberts (1307) Llorne Howell (1288) Matthew Drake (1202) Bruce McIntosh (1183) Tim Clarke (1150) Rodger Bradley (1103) Ben Williams (1067) Robbie Hart (1054) Andrew Hamilton (1042) Tom MacRury (1092).