Coach proud of Bay girls

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY: Northland’s score in a Twenty20 game at the Northern Districts secondary schoolgirls’ cricket tournament in Hamilton, after Poverty Bay scored 100-4. At right is the stump Courtney Hayes broke with her first delivery in the game. The Bay team are, back (from left): Lucy McHugh, Harriet Williams, Sophie Higgins, Phoebe Taylor, Maeve Cairns and Mel Knight (coach). Front: Kayley Knight, Tayla Hollis, Emma Hayes, Courtney Hayes and Brea Low. Picture supplied

POVERTY Bay secondary schoolgirls coach Mel Knight said she was “proud of the girls’ efforts” but “gutted” to have missed out on winning the Northern Districts cricket tournament in Tauranga.

“We went into our Twenty20 game against Bay of Plenty needing to win to be in with a chance of finishing first,” the Bay girls’ coach and Northern Spirit vice-captain said.

“Both teams were unbeaten but we had the bye on the last day, whereas Bay of Plenty had a game. They batted first but good bowling from Tayla Hollis and Phoebe Taylor, who both picked up two wickets, restricted Bay of Plenty to 80-7.

“With one over left we needed five runs to win and had four wickets in hand. Outstanding fielding from Bay of Plenty, which saw three run-outs without a run being scored, saw us finish up 77-9, and BoP went on to win the title.”

Knight said the team included players from Gisborne Girls’ High School, Lucy McHugh from Woodford House in Hawke’s Bay and Harriet Williams from Wanganui Collegiate — both boarding students from Gisborne — and Kayley Knight from Campion College.

“All the girls, apart from Kayley, were in last year’s team,” Knight said.

“We’ve had the core of the team together for a few seasons. Six of them are Year 10 girls we’ve had since Gisborne Intermediate.

“We started practice sessions in Term 3 for the keen ones and have trained once or twice a week for the past two months.

“In the past three weeks, many of the girls also took the opportunity to have one-to-one batting sessions. We saw Hamilton and Waikato Valley as our best chances at winning and that’s what happened.

"A highlight for me was beating defending champions Northland, who rolled us for 40 and needed only six overs to reach their target last year. To get 100 runs on the board and roll them for 36 this year made the team’s day.

Players stepped up“Lucy McHugh and Sophie Higgins, in their final year in the team, were consistently among the runs. Phoebe Taylor and Courtney Hayes really stepped up with the ball. Phoebe was our best bowler.

“Brea Low also contributed across all games with three run-outs in the game against Northland. She also bowled well and nearly got us the win against Bay of Plenty when the top order faltered.

“Tayla Hollis is off to Auckland on Monday to represent Northern Districts under-21s. Other u18 and u15 teams play early in January and I would expect to see some of our players make these teams.”

Knight will now turn her attention to the Spirit, who were beaten by Wellington in Round 1 of the national women’s competition.

“Wellington, or more specifically Rachel Priest and Sophie Devine, both White Ferns and professional players, were too good. They are a level above at present and in the form of their lives.

“Thankfully, our first game (Twenty20) was washed out after we made 68. In the first 50-over game, Wellington scored 283. Priest scored a ton and we were rolled for about 140.

“I bowled OK in that game — 0-30 off seven overs opening the bowling, which I wasn’t anticipating. In the second 50-over game, Sophie Devine scored an unbeaten 162 (Wellington posted 339-9).

“It was great to watch, but not so great to bowl to her.”

Knight batted the last 15 overs, to finish not out on 16, as her side were restricted to 165-9.

“It was good to keep them in the field,” said Knight, who shared a 35-run partnership with Sarah Carnachan.

“Our next round is on December 27 against Otago in Lincoln (Christchurch), followed by Canterbury (January 2 to 4) in Christchurch at Hagley Park, which should be good.”