A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
The boys are working hard at Riverbend.
The Poverty Bay Mixed Schools Year 7B cricket team at the Riverbend tournament lost to Central Hawke’s Bay Gold by 11 runs at Flaxmere Park yesterday morning and to Cornwall by 55 runs at Frimley Park in the afternoon.
Poverty Bay bowled first on the artificial pitch at Flaxmere. Medium-pacer Gayesha Mahabalage (2-10) and leg-spinners Conrad Parkes (2-13) and Liam Spence (2-15) were the pick of the attack, CHB being all out for 124 in 29.1 overs.
Central’s Ollie Mackie batted beautifully for 44 off 43 balls from No.7 in an innings that had 10 as the next highest individual score. Mackie placed the ball well for 62 minutes and hit two boundaries.
CHB coach Shane Mullany said: “Poverty Bay were impressive in all areas, and Conrad certainly puts the ball on the mark for a bowler of that type at that age.
“Their captain Harvey Reynolds was steady at the start, then he started to play his shots and he almost got them home.”
The Gisborne team came agonisingly close to victory. They were dismissed with seven balls remaining, 11 runs needed. Poverty Bay skipper Reynolds led all scorers in the chase with 28 not out from No.8, while Josh Levy — who had made an excellent 48 in Round 1 of the 30-over games — put up 18 against CHB in Round 2.
Central Gold quicks Finn Davidson (3-5) and Rick Withers (3-9), fifth and No.1 bowler spearhead respectively, both bowled three overs.
In Round 3, Cornwall captain Jamie Astill won the toss and chose to bat first on grass at Frimley Park.
The locals made 132-4. Sahaildeep Kaila was superb at No.5. He hit five boundaries in his unbeaten 67-ball innings of 50.
Gloveman and second drop Jamie Astill scored 26, with Poverty Bay’s Levy (1-15), Auric Pocock (1-16) and Allen (1-19) most effective for the pace attack.
The Gisborne team were bowled out for 77 in 28.2 overs. Levy, at No.3, made 20 and Pocock (1 off 21 balls at No.7) offered stubborn resistance as the last man to fall, caught by reserve ’keeper Alex Ketel off the bowling of third-change seamer Mika Ioasa (3-13 in 3.2 overs). Nelson Bawden took 2-5 in three overs with the new ball for Cornwall.
Poverty Bay play two 30-over games today, against North City and later Upper Hutt.
The Poverty Bay Year 7B team got some important things right on Sunday.
The Jeremy Castles-coached Bay lost their opening 30-over cricket match to Clifton County by 74 runs at Riverbend, but took the game deep by batting for 25.3 overs.
Bay teams at Riverbend tend to improve during the four days away, with batting and batting time constructively always a focal point.
Josh Levy’s excellent 48 from 57 balls at No.5 for them was a very good knock.
Clifton captain Harry Jones won the toss at home. His outfit prospered on an excellent grass pitch in fine weather, amassing 166-2. Their left-handed first drop, gloveman Jack Stableford (56 retired) and Hugo Campion (35 not out, from No.4) were both in great touch.
Tall outswing bowler Auric Pocock knocked over opening bat Jones for 16. Pocock took 1-13 off four overs.
The Gisborne team were dismissed for 92 in the run-chase. No.10 Finn Robertson (10no) was the only Bay batsman other than Levy to reach double-figures in Round 1.
Paceman Jones took 2-4 for a mixed Clifton team, one of whose bowlers — Amelia Newell (three overs for eight runs) — has in her armoury a great leg-cutter.
Clifton coach Duncan Campion said: “Poverty Bay started the game with a sharp run-out — their captain Harvey Reynolds got Freddie Hunter (0 from 2 balls at No.2) — and they had great variety in their bowling attack.
“In the Bay innings, Josh (Levy) capitalised when we got too straight but two things aside from just batting, bowling and fielding stuck out for me: No.1, the great sportsmanship between the teams and No.2 the Bay lads’ mullet haircuts — that was a point of difference that offered sun protection on the neck.”
SUNDAY, Round 1, Year 7B tournament, 30 overs —
Clifton Pirates 166-2 (Jack Stableford 56 retired, Hugo Campion 35 not out; Auric Pocock 1-13) beat Poverty Bay Mixed Schools 92 (Josh Levy 48; Harry Jones 2-4).
yesterday, Round 2, 30 overs —
Central Hawke’s Bay Gold 124 (Ollie Mackie 44 no; Gayesha Mahabalage 2-10, Conrad Parkes 2-13, Liam Spence 2-15) beat Poverty Bay Mixed Schools 113 (Harvey Reynolds 28no, Josh Levy 18; Finn Davidson 3-5, Rick Withers 3-9).
YESTERDAY, Round 3, 30 overs —
Cornwall 132-4 (Sahaildeep Kaila 50no, Jamie Astill 26; Robbie Newlands 1-5, Josh Levy 1-15) beat Poverty Bay 77 (Josh Levy 20; Mika Ioasa 3-13, Nelson Bawden 2-5).