Jono Boult ready to take step up

Jono Boult's not fussy but he admits he wants it all as he prepares for a move into domestic cricket's big league with the Northern Knights tomorrow.
Boult, whose well-compiled 52 helped carry Bay of Plenty to a tidy win over Manawatu yesterday in a one-day clash at Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval, will hook up with the Knights in Whangarei tomorrow for spring camp.
The Knights then head to Mt Maunganui for a three-day training camp next week, culminating in a two-day game at the Bay Oval against the Northern Districts academy side.
The Bay skipper was the only major addition to the successful Northern Districts squad that picked up two of the three major titles in the 2009-10 season, earning a fulltime contract after some handy showings as a fill-in during first-class games last season.
He replaces left-arm spinner Bruce Martin, who has moved to Auckland after 12 seasons with ND.
Boult joins his younger brother Trent in the Knights set-up and learned of his elevation while playing for Den Haag-based club side Quick in the Dutch top league.
"I sort of had an idea I was in the running but I wouldn't say I was 100 per cent confident," he said.
"I've only played three first-class games - two last year and one the previous season - and although I wouldn't rate last season too highly from a personal perspective, whenever I play for ND I seem to do well."
Boult made his first-class debut at Cobham Oval against Auckland in March 2009 taking 4/78 in the second innings of the match. He is also a handy middle-order batsman and top-scored with 76 for ND in his second first-class match last season - also at Cobham Oval - helping them to a win in their match against Central Districts.
Boult said indications so far were that his main role with the Knights this season would be in the first-class arena.
"I'm probably seen as a spinner at this stage but my aim is to get up the (batting) order and press hard for all formats. I'm reasonably secure in the four-day format but I want to take over Kane (Williamson's) role, bowling and batting in the middle order.
"When I've gotten a go I've scored runs so it's a matter of continuing to put the numbers up."
The Knights have signed South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs and Australian players Brad Hodge and David Warner for the Twenty20 competition this summer.
Boult's 52, off 82 balls, and opening batsman Peter Drysdale's patient 111-ball 57 carried Bay to victory yesterday in the first of two Labour weekend one-day clashes with Manawatu.
Played on the Bay Oval's new Patumahoe clay block, Bay fought back from 23-3 to set Manawatu a reasonable target of 203, with Drysdale and Boult putting on 105 for the fourth wicket and Trent Boult and Steven Rae 42 for the seventh wicket.
Former Black Cap Michael Mason was the pick of the Manawatu bowlers with 3-27.
Bay of Plenty took control with the ball to dismiss the visitors for 172. Trent Boult was in good form, taking 4-26 runs, with Tony Goodin grabbing two wickets, with two clever run-outs boosting Bay's effort in the field.
The second one-dayer is also at Bay Oval today.
Scorers:
Bay of Plenty 203 (Peter Drysdale 57, Jono Boult 52, Trent Boult 23; Michael Mason 3/27, Johnny Lash 2/30, George Worker 2/42) def Manawatu 172 (R Badenhurst 37; Trent Boult 4/26, T Goodin 2/52).