Five-run loss for Bay’s Year 6 team in final Riverbend game

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

poverty bay age group players have taken a great deal away from their Hawke's Bay Cricket Camps Riverbend experiences.

That continued yesterday for the PB Year 6 team on the final day of their four-day camp.

Under the captaincy of Curtis Wylie, PB lost their sixth and last 30-over game by just five runs to Brooklyn Junior Cricket Club.

Poverty Bay bowled first on the artificial wicket at Flaxmere Park in Hastings.

Brooklyn second-drop Noah Lee-Joe and No.5 Xavier Lee-Joe both retired (30 not out) in a team total of 131-4, including 48 extras (36 of those wides).

The Bay's wicket-takers were Robbie Newlands (one wicket for 10 runs), Alex Langford (1-10), Auric Pocock (1-11) and Finn Robertson (1-16).

Poverty Bay reached 126-8 in 30 overs, the main contributors being first-drop Henry Matete, who struck three boundaries in a hard-hit 20 off 22 balls, and No.6 Auric Pocock (16).

In Tuesday's games, Poverty Bay lost to Central Hawke's Bay by five wickets and Wellington Collegians Gold by six wickets on the artificial pitches of Windsor Park in Hastings.

Skipper Harvey Reynolds won the toss against CHB, chose to bat and led by example in scoring 27 from No.1 in a team total of 105 all-out in 25.5 overs.

Poverty Bay's Most Valuable Player, however, was Charlie Castles, who made 30 retired from 39 balls at No.5 to make the Riverbend Honours Board (for scoring 30 runs or more).

CHB medium-pacer George Giblin bowled superbly to take 5-6 in three overs.

CHB reached 106-6 in 24.3 overs, with twin brothers Campbell and Cooper Ellingham each making 22 runs off the same number of balls (38).

Poverty Bay's Finn Robertson bowled wicket maidens in the 17th and 19th over in his two wickets for 0 runs.

Fellow seamers Robbie Newlands, Auric Pocock, Curtis Wylie and Josh Levy claimed one scalp from two overs each.

Against Collegians Gold, the Wylie-led Poverty Bay were put in by the Wellingtonians and posted a commendable 122-9.

Impressive all-rounder Levy made 32 retired at No.6 to be the Bay's MVP.

He and Robertson (13) shared a fifth-wicket stand of 49.

Conrad Parkes hit three boundaries in his run-a-ball 17.

Max Carnegie (3-11 from four overs) was Collegians' best with the ball.

The Gold side reached 126-5 in the 24th over.

Liam Spence took 2-7 in two overs for Poverty Bay.

Leg-spinner Parkes and Levy nabbed one wicket each in their two-over spells.

Castles picked up 1-5 from two overs.

Poverty Bay coach Mark Langford identified areas for improvement.

“They need to become more consistent with their bowling — extras were a nuisance—- but during those four days away, the boys' game awareness really improved,” he said. “As regards to batting, they need to develop scoring shots and spend time at the crease. This will come as they move up to the Colts grade.”