Cricket: Joe Carter blasts record score

Bay of Plenty batsmen Joe Carter blasted his way into the Bay of Plenty record books with an unbeaten 215 against Poverty Bay in the last Fergus Hickey Rosebowl match of the season at Bay Oval.

Carter, who has become a regular in the Northern Knights this season, has now posted the highest and third highest totals for Bay of Plenty since records began in 1932. Playing his 30th match for the Bay, he became the first Bay batsman to score a double century.

The visitors batted first on day one on Saturday and were removed for 131, with Sam and Scott Tallott, who travel from Gisborne to play club cricket for Te Puke, both reaching the twenties. Tony Goodin took 3/32, with Campbell Thomas, Tommy Clout and Alex Goodin (on debut) taking two wickets each.

After Bay skipper Peter Drysdale was dismissed for 32, Carter joined Tom MacRury at the batting crease. MacRury scored 145 and it was the 20-year-old's second ton against Poverty Bay this season.

While Carter's first 50 runs came at a reasonably moderate rate, he then unleashed a blitzkrieg attack on the Poverty Bay bowlers, to smash the Bay's previous highest total of 194 posted by Brett Hampton 13 months ago.

Day one on Saturday ended with Bay of Plenty declaring at 377/2, with Bharat Popli 27 not out.

Day two belonged to quick bowler Tony Goodin, who ripped the Poverty Bay batting order apart, as the visitors were dismissed for 121. Goodin's 6/38 took his Bay of Plenty wicket tally to 118 since his debut in the 2005/06 season.

After an indifferent start to the first half of the season, Bay of Plenty have four successive victories - which sees them at the top ND Hawke Cup qualifying standings, half way through the calendar year competition.

Fergus Hickey Rosebowl

Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui March 1-2

Poverty Bay 131 (Sam Tallott 28, Scott Tallott 26, T Phelps 22no; Tony Goodin 3/32, C Thomas 2/12, T Clout 2/22, A Gooding 2/48) & 121 (T Phelps 30; T Goodin 6/38, Campbell Thomas 2/32), Bay of Plenty 377/2 (J Carter 215no, T MacRury 115, P Drysdale 32, B Popli 27no).

Result: Bay of Plenty won by 125 runs.