Bay juniors bounce back at Frimley Park

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A non-event played out at McLean Park 48 hours ago.

The hard cricket was played at Frimley Park in Hastings yesterday, with the Poverty Bay Year 6 boys’ team bouncing back from a three-wicket loss to Onslow White to beat North City by five wickets.

Andrew Scott and Mark Langford are the coaches of the Poverty Bay side.

“This afternoon, the boys were sharp and disciplined in the field,” Scott said.

“Taylor Scott then dug in with the bat. Connor Starck and Taye McGuinness did the same thing later on, respecting the good ball and putting away the bad ball. In neither game were we bowled out.”

Langford said Poverty Bay should have won the first game.

“Batting first, we scored freely. In the second innings, our ground fielding was excellent, although a couple of tough catches did go down, and 51 extras didn’t help.”

Onslow captain George Dinnan won the toss and elected to bowl in overcast conditions, with Poverty Bay making 149-5 in the first of four 30-over games they are playing on the same grass wicket. The Bay will also play two T20 games on that pitch tomorrow.

Bay opening batsman Ollie Egan (33), captain, man of the match and second-drop Nathaniel Fearnley (31) and No.3 Malsha Mahabalage (21) were the leading run-scorers. Both Fearnley and Egan retired not out, making the Riverbend honours board for individual scores of 30 in Game 1; bowlers must take three wickets to make the honours board.

Wicketkeeper-cum-seamer Egan then took 1-7 off two overs with support from fellow medium-pacers Phoenix Pardoe-Crosby (1-9 off two), Connor Starck (1-11 off two), Fearnley (1-18 off four) and Taylor Scott (1-26 off 2.4).

Onslow reached 154-7 in 25.5 overs.

Opposition coach Rhys Morgan said the Poverty Bay top five batted time and were impressive.

Taylor Scott (promoted from No.6 to No.1) was Poverty Bay’s man of the match against North City. He scored 30 (retired) off 45 balls in a 16-over vigil at the crease during which time five other batsmen were dismissed: an honours board performance.

Starck, with 22 not out from 28 balls at No.7, was the second most prolific of Poverty Bay’s batsmen yesterday afternoon after City captain Jayden Mataira’s crew — having won the toss — posted 131-8 in their 30 overs.

Promising paceman Taye McGuinness (2-10 off four overs), Fearnley (2-17 off four), keeper/seamer Mahabalage (1-2 off two), Vinnie Walters (1-7 off two) and Egan (1-19 off four) were the wicket-takers in a disciplined Poverty Bay bowling effort.

The Bay conceded eight fewer extras (43) in Game 2 than in the Onslow match. The Bay scored 134-5 in 23.5 overs.

City coach Roshan Sam said Poverty Bay switched positions quickly in the field and knew what they had to do.

“I umpired at Nathaniel’s end, and he’s not just a promising bowler. The way he spoke — to his players and the adults who umpired that game — he showed respect and was very positive. Those are the qualities of a true cricket captain.”

Today Poverty Bay were to play 30-over games against Western Bay of Plenty and Wanganui.