Debut to remember for Hudson

MAN FOR THE JOB: Graham Hudson, pictured bowling for OBR in front of umpire Ben O’Brien-Leaf, delivered the killer blows for Poverty Bay in their three-run win over Bay of Plenty in Gisborne yesterday. Picture by Paul Rickard

Fast-medium bowler Graham Hudson will long remember his first game for the Poverty Bay representative cricket team.

They beat Bay of Plenty by three runs in a Basil McBurney Trophy 50-overs game at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday, and Hudson played a key role.

The visitors needed six runs from the final over to win. Hudson had conceded 54 runs from nine overs — 14 from the ninth alone — and some were surprised when skipper Nick Hendrie tossed the ball to the lanky South African.

Hudson held his nerve and showed his skill and character by bowling two dot balls, conceding two singles, then dismissing Jacob Logan (72 off 72 balls), caught and bowled. Hudson sealed the win by knocking over the stumps of last batsman James Boyd.

“I had every confidence in Graham, and he delivered,” Hendrie said.

Hendrie, himself, had already delivered a captain’s knock, top-scoring for Bollywood Poverty Bay with 72 off 72 balls as they posted 239-9.

“We made it hard for ourselves after being in a good position, but at the end of the day it was good win,” he said.

“I’m not into over-analysing victories. The only negatives were not scoring 250 on the best-prepared wicket all season and dropping two or three catches that let them back into the game when we were well placed.

“Inder (Singh, 3-15 off six overs) gave us a great start, and Dane (Thompson, 4-45 off nine) was superb bowling into the wind. Matty (Crampton) tied up one end and the silver fox (Craig Christophers) bowled 10 overs for 44 runs.”

Hendrie, who was the dominant scorer in an opening stand of 48 with Christophers and a second-wicket partnership with Bruce Kerr, hit 13 fours in 84 minutes at the crease before his dismissal left Poverty Bay at 104-3.

Robbie Tallott (42) and Thomas Hayes (35) then combined for 52 runs before Hayes became the fourth man to head back to the pavilion.

“Robbie continued to bat brilliantly but we needed someone to bat with him,” Hendrie said.

“I felt 250 was achievable for us.”

Poverty Bay’s Inder Singh quickly dispatched the first three batsmen, and Bay of Plenty were 43-3.

Marcel Corlett (59) and Dominic Crombie (20) took the total to 71 before Dane Thompson took the first of his four wickets — Crombie, caught by Matt Crampton.

Crampton, who took 1-27 off 10 overs, then took a return catch to dismiss Josh Earle, leaving Bay of Plenty struggling at 109-5.

With 11 overs remaining, Bay of Plenty needed 94 to win, and Hendrie’s men were in the box seat.

But Logan and Corlett put on a display of batting and running that turned the game in their favour.

With 12 balls to go, they needed 16 runs.

Thompson kept the Bay in the game when he had Corlett caught by Hayes off the fifth ball of his last over, leaving Hudson to wrap up the innings.