“We can give anyone a good scrap on our day.”
Gibbs plays his club cricket in Rotorua and his experience will be valuable tomorrow.
Poverty Bay named a 14-man squad ahead of the fixture. As well as missing opening-batsman Hendrie, the squad will be without all-rounder Graham Hudson, who has a back injury, and wicketkeeper-batsman Bruce Kerr, who is away with exams.
That leaves quite a hole in the batting line-up, which the Bay will need the likes of Scott and Robbie Tallott to fill. It could also be a chance to play Keegan Martin, who has been in strong form in the Poverty Bay club competition for Horouta, posting two fifties in his first two games.
Scott Tallott will wear the keeping gloves.
The side have solid new-ball options in Gibbs, Paul Stewart and Jimmy Holden.
Stewart also hit a composed fifty for OBR in club cricket last week.
Ryan Majstrovic, one of the selectors, said it was helpful to have Gibbs’s leadership.
“He’s fully committed to Poverty Bay Cricket, and has been outstanding for us in all aspects over the past three seasons, and in times before that as a loan player.”
The last time Gibbs played against the Hamilton 11 was when he returned to the Poverty Bay rep side in February after breaking his leg playing football last year.
He took three wickets and Poverty Bay recorded a win.
Gibbs had required major surgery, follow-up surgeries and a lot of rehab to get him right.
The leg still gives him some grief but the medium-pacer doesn’t let that hold him back.
“I am back off the long run-up and charging in.”
Kerr, batting at No.3, whacked 93 against the Hamilton second 11 last season and combined with Scott Tallott (20) to rebuild the innings after a horror start by the Bay in their run chase.
They were 4-3 but ended up coasting to victory with more than 12 overs to spare.
Included in the squad for tomorrow’s game is Drew Scott, born and raised in Gisborne. He has been playing premier cricket in Wellington for Collegians.
Alex Gooding is also back. He has been living in rural Bay of Plenty but is registered for High School Old Boys in the Poverty Bay competition.
Majstrovic said players had been practising for two months to prepare for their opportunity.
“We’ve been particularly impressed with Keegan Martin in his two Doleman Cup games so far — he’s a guy who’s forced his way into the squad through performance.”
Poverty Bay: (from) Andrew Gibbs (captain), Scott Tallott, David Situ, Drew Scott, Rowan Smith, Robbie Tallott, Keegan Martin, Alex Gooding, Parminder Kulaar, Paul Stewart, Jak Rowe, Marshall Norris, Jimmy Holden, Sam Patterson.
