‘Great learning curve’ for Bay boys

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

It’s a short turnaround.

Three days after being named in the Poverty Bay boys’ primary cricket team, the Matt Crampton/Graham Hudson-coached side began their Northern Districts campaign with a five-wicket loss to Bay of Plenty Lakelands at Whakatane.

The match was played on an artificial wicket at Trident High School. Lakelands captain Jack Clark won the toss and put Poverty Bay in to bat.

Leg-spinner Dylan Foster proved his all-round worth, facing the first and last balls of Poverty Bay’s innings for the team’s top score of 30 off 80 balls.

Left-hander Te-Reimana Gray, in at No.4, made 28 from 27 balls.

Leg-spinner Sean Gapes (2-6 off 2.4 overs), left-arm seamer Sohan Patel (2-8) and tall paceman Tom Yetsenga (2-20) bowled good lines for a Lakelands team who were sharp in the field.

Only the third-wicket partnership of 49 between Foster and Gray put pressure on the home team in the nine-a-side format for any length of time.

Lakelands opener Tom Martin carried his bat through the chase for 43 runs off 39 balls. He hit six boundaries.

Skipper Clark hit 27 from only 14 balls. He hit two fours, and the second of his two sixes sailed over mid-off to win the game. He had also taken three catches in Poverty Bay’s innings.

Englishman Jake Rowe — who represented the Poverty Bay men’s senior side last season — is coach of the Lakelands side.

He said both sides had talented players who performed well and, for his side, Martin and Clark ran well between the wickets in their 30-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Poverty Bay’s Crampton said the game was a great learning curve for his team.

“We were outplayed but we put up a good fight against a well-coached, quality cricket team,” he said.

“Dylan was fabulous and I think that if Te-Reimana had batted for just a little bit longer, we would have been in with a real shot.”