First game of season for reps

Looking for a good start: Thorn Parkes will captain the Poverty Bay men's cricket team in their match against a Hawke's Bay development side tomorrow, and is hoping for a good performance to build confidence. File picture by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay representative men's and women's cricket teams tomorrow take the field for the first time this season.

They will play against development teams from Hawke's Bay.

The men's side will play an under-19 team that includes several adults to provide mentorship and competitiveness.

Simultaneously, the women will match up against a young development side who will not be bolstered by experienced players because the Hawke's Bay A team have a fixture elsewhere.

Poverty Bay captain Thorn Parkes expects Hawke's Bay's team to be talented, despite their youth.

It's the first time the representative players have got together in a year and having a game so early in the year is exciting, he says.

He's hoping they can put together a good performance to build confidence.

“We are going through a rebuilding stage, so I'm hoping this game will do us a lot of good in terms of team culture and getting Poverty Bay cricket on track to securing more fixtures and becoming more competitive.”

Hawke's Bay Cricket Association community and pathway manager Craig Ross said they were looking forward to playing in Gisborne again.

“We always enjoy this fixture,” he said.

“Last year was a really good day and a close game. The women's development game came out of its success.”

They have no idea what the strength of the Poverty Bay sides will be, but Ross expects an exciting contest.

“We're focused on getting the guys out there and having fun. Everyone's looking forward to it.”

At a glance

Poverty Bay men's representative team v Hawke's Bay Under-19 Mavericks Men, 50-over match for the Kirk Cup.

11am, TOMORROW, Harry Barker Reserve.

Poverty Bay: Nicholas Hendrie, Graham Sharp, Thorn Parkes (c), Scott Tallot, Josiah Turner, Israel Turner, Cody Andrews, Paul Stewart, Angus Orsler, Parminder Singh, Andrew Gibbs, Jak Rowe.

Hawke's Bay: Callum Hewetson (c), Josh Alderton, Tyler Annand, Harry Cooper, Rohan Fendall, Sam Ferguson, Liam Hall, Bailey McDonald, James McGruer, Harry Mowat, Brandon Roberts, Seth Taylor.

Poverty Bay women's representative team v Hawke's Bay women's development team, two T20s.

11am, TOMORROW, Harry Barker Reserve.

Poverty Bay: Kayley Knight (c), Rubi Perano, Grace Levy, Grace Kuil, Helen Evans, Jessica Hayward, Savannah McGhee, Amy Thomas, Tayla Hollis, Jayxena Piwari, Emma Hayes, Courtney Hayes.

Hawke's Bay: Jenna Allison, Sophie Annand, Pippa Campbell, Isabelle Dillon, Reese Drager, Gretel Fairbrother, Aimee Kay, Zyggy Kireka-Russell, Olivia Mairs, Natalya Nicholson, Hardiya Padda, Charlotte Wakefield.