Cricket: Shield adds an edge to clash

Bay of Plenty enter the second half of the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl competition sitting just off the pace in the annual contests that decide provincial supremacy in Northern Districts cricket.

On Sunday Bay of Plenty will contest a one-day encounter against Poverty Bay, at the Harry Barker Reserve in Gisborne.

This weekend's encounter will have an extra edge with the Rigden Shield on the line. The Rigden Shield, which is contested each time the two ND rivals meet, languished in obscurity in the Bay of Plenty until the Bay were beaten by Poverty Bay last year.

Poverty Bay requests for the shield, found the trophy tucked away in a Bay of Plenty Cricket hideaway. Poverty Bay are sure to have the shield, that dates back 66 years, on display on Sunday.

Black Cap Daniel Flynn, who has been recuperating from injury for most of this season, has been named in the Bay team for the Poverty Bay match. While he has been bracketed with Matthew Drake, Flynn, will play, as long as he isn't required for the Northern Knights on the weekend.

The game in Gisborne, is a must-win encounter for Bay of Plenty to remain in Fergus Hickey contention. With four matches remaining this season, Bay need to post a convincing victory.

The first ND representative match of 2012, also resets the Hawke Cup calendar year challenge series. Hawke Cup supremacy currently lies in Northern Districts, with Counties Manukau who won the 2011 ND Hawke Cup challenge series, to play holders Hamilton in late January 2012.

Bay of Plenty: Jono Boult (captain) Peter Drysdale, Daniel Flynn/Mathew Drake, Joe Carter, Bharat Popli, Ben Christensen, Tim Clarke, Brett Hampton, Daniel Hill, Dale Swan, Tony Goodin, Amandeep Singh.

Fergus Hickey Points: Counties Manukau 20, Hamilton 13, BOP 11, Northland 9, Poverty Bay 4, Waikato Valley 4.