Cricket: BOP teams perform well at Riverbend

WELL DONE: Tayte Marsh, left, and Josh Lawrey became the first players at Riverbend to claim a hat trick each for their Western BOP and Cambridge teams. PHOTO: FILE

A record 15 Western Bay of Plenty teams competed at the Riverbend age-group cricket tournament in Napier and Hastings last month.

The annual Riverbend junior cricket tournaments dates back to 1979 and attracts junior cricket teams from throughout the North Island.

"The primary reason for sending 15 teams to Riverbend this season is the continued development of our Year 4 and 5 to Year 9 players," Western Bay of Plenty Cricket administrator Don Warner said.

"The annual junior cricket migration to Hawke's Bay is not only a step in the Western Bay junior cricket pathway, but also introduced several new coaches to junior representative cricket for the first time this year.

"We have a philosophy at Riverbend to spread the talent throughout all the teams, so everyone is given an equal opportunity to bat and bowl, at both the top and bottom of the order.

"The Western Bay of Plenty Cricket mandate is the development of the game of cricket in our region, with our attendance at the Hawke's Bay junior cricket festival a big step in our on-going pathway.

"There were outstanding efforts from our Year 4/5 development, Year 4/5 reps and all three Year 6 sides. While we are reluctant to select any individual performances, we must recognise the Tayte Marsh hattrick in his Year 6 White development encounter with Collegians, with Tayte finishing with 5-7. The second feat to earn recognition is the 126 runs hit by Ben McCurran (Year 8 Gold) verses Brooklyn from just 119 balls."

Riverbend Cricket Tournament 2017 results

Western Bay of Plenty Year 9
WBOP White (Coach - Fraser Lellman) Played 54 wins 1 loss
WBOP Blue Coach - Chris James) Played 5 1 win 4 losses
WBOP Gold (Coach - Trevor Donaghy) Played 5 1 win 3 losses

Western Bay of Plenty Year 8
WBOP White (Coach - Jayson Benge) Played 5 Lost 5
WBOP Blue (Coach - Brent Smythe) Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2
WBOP Gold (Coach - Grant Manners) Played 5 Lost 5

Western Bay of Plenty Year 7
WBOP Black (Coach - Mike Brady) Played 6Won 1 Lost 5
WBOP Blue (Coach - Paul Wills) Played 6Won 1 Lost 5
WBOP Gold (Coach - Bryan Keightley Played 6 Lost 6
WBOP Development (Coach - Kelvin Jones) Played 6 Won 4 Lost 2

Western Bay of Plenty Year 6
WBOP Gold (Coach - Blair Parlane) Played 6 Won 5 Lost 1
WBOP Blue (Coach - Andrew Balfour) Played 6 Won 6
WBOP Development (Coach - Andrew Templer) Played 6 Won 5 Lost 1

Western Bay of Plenty Year 4/5
WBOP Gold (Coach - Rob Cornelius) Played 5 Won 5
WBOP Blue (Coach - Pim de Monchy) Played 5 Won 4 Lost 1