CARL SHAW, EAGLES CAPTAIN
CRICKET
A HUNDRED people experienced the thrill of IPL-style hype at the inaugural Poverty Bay Cricket auction on Thursday night.
Smash Palace was the venue as PGG Wrightson stock agent Chris Hurlstone auctioned off 48 players for the four franchise teams — Smash Palace Bail-breakers, Auto Tyre Eagles, Eastland Broncos and Bollywood Stars.
They will contest the Walker Shield T15 (15 overs a side) Blast set to start on October 26.
Each team has one South African professional, no more than five district (major association or Poverty Bay senior) representatives, two cricketers under 18 years of age and one cricketer over 35.
The 19 club players not in those first four tiers complete each roster.
Captains Jak Rowe (Bail-breakers), Carl Shaw (Eagles), Craig Christophers (Broncos) and Glen Udall (Stars) were chosen by the team sponsors.
Although the $100,000 in each skipper’s hands was only Monopoly money, shrewdness, bluff, timing and nerve proved every bit as valuable as local knowledge.
The pros had no value bar set, although the ceiling for u18s was $35,000.
PBCA operations manager Nick Hendrie (Bail-breakers) was the biggest “buy” of the night at $44,000, Robbie Tallott (Broncos) fetched $31,000, SA pro Matt Crampton was worth $30,000 to the Eagles and the Stars paid $31,500 for all-rounder Dane Thompson.
Drew Scott (Stars) at $12,500 was the priciest u18 player, while Northern Spirit rep Tayla Hollis (Eagles) — the only female player at auction and a very good cricketer — went for $3000.
Each T15 team will play at least six games at Harry Barker Reserve on Fridays either side of Christmas, with a 5.45pm start. Games are scheduled to take under two hours and 20 minutes to complete (8.05pm finish).
Teams will wear a coloured BLK strip paid for by their sponsors and use a pink ball; bowlers will have a maximum of three overs each, and four different bowlers must be used in the first four overs of each innings. In the first four overs of each innings, only one fielder is allowed outside the 30-metre circle.
Innovations will require all cricketers — not just the captains — to be razor-sharp These innovations will require all cricketers — not just the captains — to be razor-sharp. Everyone on the field will have to read the game on a ball-by-ball basis; all players will grow in terms of situational awareness, with the keys to victory being skills and decision-making under pressure.
Making a return to cricket for the Eagles are the hard-hitting Keogh brothers, Thomas and Sam. Thomas, fellow left-hander Carl Shaw and Poverty Bay century-maker Carl Carmody can all hit the ball out of sight.
Under the astute leadership of Craig Christophers at the Broncos, the Needham boys — Richie and Tom — lend solidity to both the batting and bowling line-ups. The Broncos have genuine athletes in the field to boot, with the youngest player at auction — Blake Marshall — and firebrand Jack Faulkner on the prowl for run-outs and catches.
Matthew Cook, Dane Thompson and Paul Stewart give the Stars not just real depth but a great contrast in terms of pace bowling. Line, length and trajectory are different for each of them and Stewart has more than one excellent change of pace.
The idea of Hendrie batting in a big stand with David Salmon or Josiah Turner should have cricket fans streaming in to the Reserve. Bail-breakers sponsor Darryl Monteith has every reason to be pleased with how the season is shaping up.
“It’s the first time Smash Palace has been involved in Poverty Bay Cricket at this level and you can sense the excitement,” Monteith said.
“Cricket fans will be keen to experience the sort of firepower the Bail-breakers will be packing come the first round. Praise should be heaped on Nick Hendrie and the PBCA for creating this entertainment and player development opportunity.”
The proposed T15 league is now the big selling point and drawcard for cricketPBCA chairman Chris Slater is delighted at the move to refresh the game here. The approval in July of the proposed T15 league is now the big selling point and drawcard for cricket.
Hendrie said: “I’ve always wanted to run an auction similar to the IPL and the committee has been awesome — hopefully in a few months we can look back and be proud of what we’ve achieved. The feedback from the players was really good, in the lead-up and tonight. Most of them didn’t realise how exciting it would be until it kicked off.”
Glen Udall’s Stars got a massive boost with the late transfer of Cook, Jagroop Singh and Francesco Calucci.
“We have a very well-balanced team, highlighted by the extraordinary batting potential of South African pro Bruce Kerr and Scott Tallott; we expect to have fun on and off the field,” Udall said.
Jak Rowe of the Bail-breakers also has reason to be pleased.
“Nick is all class — we have the big gun — and young Josiah Turner is an all-rounder. Mix him in with David Salmon and Ben McNeil, and we have a very good batting line-up.
“I am looking forward to sharing the new ball with Jimmy Holden, an outstanding cricket brain and wicket-taker for OBR.”
Carl Shaw said: “The Eagles are stoked about the Keogh brothers and Nick Butler coming out of retirement. Tayla Hollis was the buy of the night. And having the experience and skill of Baxter Mackay at the top of the order, plus Carl Carmody’s hitting power — that’s exciting.”
Craig Christophers is happy that the core of his Broncos team is made up of local cricketers . . . and the Broncos have a “no dickheads” policy.
“We’d just like to give massive thanks to our owners Deevon and Rebecca Gray from Eastland Plumbing & Gasfitting,” Christophers said.
The teams are —
AUTO TYRE EAGLES: Carl Shaw (captain), Matt Crampton, Nick Butler, Baxter Mackay, Robert Schwass, Carl Carmody, Adam Whibley, Philburgh Viljoen, Tayla Hollis, Travis Mitchell, Sam Keogh, Thomas Keogh.
BOLLYWOOD STARS: Glen Udall (captain), Dane Thompson, Bruce Kerr, Drew Scott, Scott Tallott, Paul Stewart, Ajay Kumar, Brad Reynolds, Scott Hollinshead, Francesca Calucci, Matt Cook, Jagroop Singh.
EASTLAND BRONCOS: Craig Christophers (captain), Robbie Tallott, Graham Hudson, Richie Needham, Tom Needham, Jack Faulkner, Keegan Martin, Blake Marshall, Sam Patterson, Ben Bristow, Amit Vyas, Jason Drain.
SMASH PALACE BAIL-BREAKERS: Jak Rowe (captain), Nick Hendrie, Josiah Turner, David Salmon, Jimmy Holden, Jacob Colbert, Thom Berry, Ben McNeil, Ryan Majstrovic, Vaughn Thompson, Parminder Singh, Isaac Hughes.