Crease is the word

REP CALL-UPS: Bollywood Stars all-rounder Ajay Kumar is back in the Poverty Bay squad. Pictures by Paul Rickard

POVERTY Bay coach/selector Lance Cairns has made three changes to the team who lost to Counties two weeks ago for this weekend’s Fergus Hickey game at Harry Barker Reserve.

Medium-pace bowlers Jak Rowe (HSOB) and Sam Patterson (Campion College) and Stars all-rounder Ajay Kumar have replaced brothers Sam and Robbie Tallott (HSOB) and Blake Taylor (Horouta), who have all returned to university.

Bay development officer Mohit Raro says the inclusion of Rowe and Patterson strengthens a bowling attack which also features Mitchell Turner (Pirates), Timoti Weir (OBR), Gary Singh (Stars), Hamilton draft player Alex Clare and skipper Danny Gibbs, who will also open the batting with Dion Joll (Counties Manukau).

At this stage of Cairns’ two-year plan to make the Bay competitive — “eventually winning games in the third year” — the batting is a work in progress.

The Bay were rolled for 100 in their first innings against Counties before dismissing Counties for 195, thanks to a magnifcient spell of bowling from Turner (8-69 off 19 overs). Despite improving in their second dig, the Bay’s 160 left the home side neeing only 65 to win, which they achieved for the loss of one wicket.

“Lance has been stressing the importance of occupying the crease for long periods in the two-day game,” Raro said. “He has also been putting a big emphasis practising the right way in the nets and in club games, and having a game plan, especially for two-day games.

“If you bat the right way in the nets, then you take that into the game. Batsmen should be looking at playing 30 or 40 overs. If they do that the chances are they will score runs.”

Joll topscored for the Bay in the first innings against Counties, with 29 off 90 balls. Clare (48) and Sam Singh (36) led the way in the second innings. Clare also showed his application by staying in the middle for 144 minutes and facing 110 balls. Singh’s runs came off 44 overs in 54 minutes.

Hamilton caused an upset in their last Fergus Hickey game when they took first innings points against Hawke Cup champions Bay of Plenty, thanks to a match-winning 220-run last-wicket stand between No.11 Freddy Walker and first-drop Anish Desai.

Desai anchored his team’s innings with 165 while Walker hammered 150 runs off just 125 balls, including 23 fours and a six.

Poverty BayDion Joll, Danny Gibbs (captain), Sam Singh, David Salmon, Scott Tallott, Gary Singh, Alex Clare, Ajay Kumar, Mitchell Turner, Timoti Weir, Jak Rowe, Sam Patterson.

Last night’s Walker Shield Twenty20 final between OBR and Pirates was cancelled down to rain. The final will be played on February 23 from 5.30pm at Harry Barker Reserve.