Another formidable all-rounder, Josh Levy, starred with the ball in the first innings, taking 3-2, with two maiden overs, in his three-over spell as fourth-change.
Third-change paceman Nathan Putter (2-9) and spearhead Archer Allen (1-1) both bowled three overs. Third-up to bowl Finn Robertson took 1-4 from four overs.
Poverty Bay didn’t muck about in the chase for Johnsonville’s modest total.
Bay opener Levy (15) clobbered three boundaries before Hakirat Singh (1-15 from two overs) went through his defence with Poverty Bay 45-1 in pursuit, off the last ball of the sixth over.
First-drop Robbie Newlands was 12no in support of Reynolds at the end of the game. Three balls into the 10th over, Newlands scored the winning runs with a pull-shot through midwicket for four off seamer Pangam.
Upper Hutt Maroon deserve credit for a Game 3 win against the Bay that owed all to discipline and nerve.
Jonty Beattie won the toss and his Wellingtonians took first knock on an overcast day before being dismissed for 131 in 28.2 overs.
Allen, leader of the pace attack, bowled superbly at both the start and end of the innings to take 3-2 in 3.2 overs, with two maidens. He had opener Lachie Findlay caught by Levy at first slip three balls into the first over with nought on the board, and No.11 William Attewell for a golden duck to close the innings.
Upper Hutt Maroon coach Jason Attewell was impressed by the skill of Allen, Spence (2-8 in three overs), a fielding unit good enough to effect two run-outs courtesy of Castles at the stumps for Alex Langford and Ted Gillies, but also by the excellent spirit in which Gisborne’s finest played the game.
Attewell senior said: “Poverty Bay were very positive in all of their cricket. In terms of bowling, they gave us nothing to hit early on and Liam (Spence) bowled well after that.
“We finished up with 20 or 30 fewer runs than we’d hoped for, though Jonty at No.3 was elegant for 21 — including a flick-shot for 6 over midwicket. He shared a 48-run partnership with Sachin Saravanan (17) for the second wicket and our seventh man in, titan Ekam Dhillon (20), really struck the ball.
“Keeper-turned-inswing-bowler George Tait (2-9 in 4 overs) had the best figures for us, with support from Ishanbir Singh (2-11) and left-arm speedster Matthew Hartell (2-13) in their three-over spells.”
Poverty Bay were 93-8, 38 runs short of victory, after 30 overs.
Attewell senior and his charges knew of the batting ability of Levy and Castles heading into yesterday’s clash, but coach Attewell also acknowledged first-year Poverty Bay representative Nathan Putter’s ability to punish Upper Hutt Maroon’s bowlers when they got too straight.
Putter, batting at No.5, made the Bay’s highest score — 21 off 33 balls with three boundaries and is a promising all-rounder, a true dasher with bat in hand.
Poverty Bay’s fourth outing, again on the artificial wicket at Frimley Park 1 today, was the much-anticipated 50-over game against Eastern Suburbs.
