“With the two-day games I’m not overly concerned with the batsmen scoring. I want them to go out with the mindset of staying in the middle. If they do that the runs will come. The last thing I want is for them to give their wickets away.
“With the bowlers, I want them to concentrate on bowling good line and length. If they can restrict the scoring to three runs an over then they’re putting pressure on the batsmen and wickets will fall.”
Gibbs scored 38 in the 50-overs defeat while his opening partner tomorrow, Dion Joll, topscored with 41.
Alex Clare chipped in with an unbeaten 21 but Counties reached their target of 194 for the loss of four wickets.
Joll capped a good individual performance with two wickets while Mitchell Turner had the economical figures of 0-31 off 10 overs.
“Counties are always hard to beat in either form of the game,” said Gibbs, who has returned after 1½. years of playing cricket in England.
“We’ll always be a young team but if we all buy into what Lance is trying to implement — with regards to every individual planning their game and focusing on their individual performances — we’ll keep improving to the stage where we will be competitive against the bigger associations.”
Gibbs is looking forward to the challenge of leading the team.
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“Leaving home for uni (Waikato), studying, playing cricket in England and then travelling around Europe with my girlfriend, I feel like I’ve grown up.
“In the past I was too aggressive, too hot-headed and my temperament wasn’t suited to be a captain.”
Cairns has continued his youth policy with the inclusion of Gisborne Boys’ High batsman and skipper Drew Scott Horouta medium-pace bowler Blake Taylor.
“Drew has been in the wider squad ever since I became coach,” Cairns said.
“Blake is a fringe player who has impressed me in games and in the nets. For him, this weekend is all about enjoying the experience, and I won’t be putting any pressure on him.”
n BAIN Construction OBR are in pole position heading into the final two games of Poverty Bay cricket’s Walker Shield twenty20 competition tomorrow. OBM are top of the standings with 20 points and should secure first place for next week’s playoffs when they take on Campion in the 1pm game at Harry Barker Reserve.
OBR should also complete the double when they play a Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11
The battle is on for the remaining three places in the 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 semifinals. Tamarind High School Old Boys and GBHS (1) are each on 16 points. With HSOB facing the schools’ second team first-up tomorrow, they should win and move to 20 points. They then take on Bollywood Stars who are fifth on eight points and need wins against Horouta and HSOB to give them any chance of sneaking into the playoffs.
The Stars will be without captain Gary Singh and star batsman Sam Singh (rep duty).
Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates are fourth on 12 points. Victories over GBHS (1) and GBHS (2) could move them into second.
