Cricket: Bay of Plenty to take on Northland

Peter Drysdale will again captain Bay of Plenty this season. PHOTO/FILE

A trip away to the far north opens Bay of Plenty's 2017/18 ND Fergus Hickey Rosebowl campaign.

Bay of Plenty take on Northland at Cobham Oval in Whangarei this Saturday and Sunday in their first two-day encounter of the season. They are the defending ND two-day cricket champions, with 16 Fergus Hickey crowns since the 1979/80 season and four titles in the past six seasons.

Bay of Plenty selectors have gone for an experienced team with two debutants in Tim Pringle, who is a student at Otumoetai College, and batsman Dan Smith, who has come north from Southland with plenty of minor association experience.

Captain Peter Drysdale and Tom MacRury will open the Bay's innings with Joe Carter and Sean Davey, with nine Bay of Plenty centuries between them, likely to bat at three and four.

"Our middle order batsmen of Ben Musgrave and Tim Clarke would bat in the top four of most provincial sides in the country, which shows the depth that we have in our current batting line-up," head coach Charles Williams said.

"The icing on the cake is being able to welcome back all-rounder Jono Boult, quick bowler Tony Goodin and Joe Carter who were all playing first-class cricket for Northern Districts 12 months ago."

The Bay team is rounded out by Brett Hampton and Alastair Blackett. All rounder Hampton will play his 60th match for the Bay and has been released by Northern Districts to play in Whangarei, while Blackett is a promising young bowler who took a six-wicket bag against Hamilton last season.

Bay of Plenty team v Northland (appearances in brackets)
Peter Drysdale captain (80), Ben Musgrave (30), Dan Smith (debut), Tony Goodin (66) Mount Maunganui; Tom MacRury (46), Brett Hampton (59) Greerton; Joe Carter (47), Sean Davey (37), Jono Boult (71), Tim Pringle (debut) Cadets; Tim Clarke (68) Tauranga Boys' College; Alastair Blackett (6) Te Puke. Coach Charles Williams, assistant coach Russell Williams.

Fergus Hickey Rosebowl 2017/18
Bay of Plenty schedule: 11/12 November v Northland (away), 3/4 February v Counties Manukau (away), 17/18 February v Hamilton (home), 3/4 March v Waikato Valley (home).