Classy batsmen at Riverbend

GOOD START: Poverty Bay Year 8 all-rounder Reuben Swanepoel has made an excellent start to the Riverbend cricket camp tournament in Hawke’s Bay. Against a strong Karori side yesterday he took two wickets for 26 runs off four overs of his off-spin bowling. He then opened the batting and scored 55 runs retired in an innings that included six fours. Today, against Eastern Suburbs, he opened the batting again and scored 61 runs retired off 58 balls. Poverty Bay had won the toss and chosen to bat first.

You come across some pretty good batsmen at Riverbend.

The Poverty Bay Year 8 team found that out in Game 1 of their campaign in Section B at the cricket camp yesterday. They lost a 35-over clash with Wellington club Karori by 76 runs.

The draw has the Bay playing all five of their matches on artificial pitches.

Captain Nathaniel Fearnley won the toss at Park Island, Napier, and opted to bat. Karori made 243-7, their No.6 Joshua Taylor remarkably hitting only three boundaries in his 58-ball innings of 55 retired.

Fifth man in, wicketkeeper Adam Baker (44 from 36 balls), and first-drop Matthew Stitt (39) also impressed.

The 73-run stand for the fifth wicket between Baker and Taylor was the biggest partnership in the match.

Poverty Bay, as the modern rule allows, bowled all 12 of their players — off-spinner Reuben Swanepoel was the most successful, with 2-26 off four overs.

Fearnley took 1-15 in four overs as second-change and gloveman Aiden Armstrong’s turn at the bowling crease netted 1-12 from two overs.

The Bay batted positively to reach 167-3 in 35 overs, offie-turned-opener Swanepoel pounding six fours in his 55 retired. Swanepoel, a capable and promising all-rounder, was the Bay’s player of the day.

Poverty Bay coach Andrew Scott and his team can take great motivation from their effort with the bat yesterday: facing a tough ask of 244 to win, they lost only three wickets. Classy No.5 Malsha Mahabalage (18) and Taylor Scott (13), seventh man in, compiled 24 for the sixth wicket.

The Bay need no reminding that to concede 54 extras — of which 38 were wides and 11, no-balls — is as much of a handicap as to put down eight catches in the field.

“We can improve,” Scott said.

“The boys know what they have to do, and they’re keen to do it.”

Poverty Bay were to play two 30-over games today, against Eastern Suburbs and Upper Hutt on Marewa Park.