Last-wicket rally earns Poverty Bay victory at Northern Districts youth tournament

Poverty Bay celebrate victory over Northern Māori at an Under-17s tournament in Whangārei. Back row (from left) are Alex Langford, Jonah Reynolds, Tarn Boyle, Jett Whitaker, Brandon Fearnley, Jordyn Haley, Charlie Whitfield, Jack Roberts, Harvey Reynolds and Gayesha Mahabalage. Front: Skipper Caleb Taewa and Patrick McInnes.

Poverty Bay 186-9 in 45.2 overs (Patrick McInnes 36 not out, Caleb Taewa 31no, Jonah Reynolds 23, Jack Roberts 20; Bayden Tutura 4-26 off 10 overs, Conrad Parkes 3-41-10) def Northern Districts Māori 185 all-out in 41.5 overs (Aaryan Sharmac 49, Keanu Makiri 29, Angelo Giacon 24; Jett Whitaker 2-15-3, Jonah Reynolds 2-16-4.5, Charlie Whitfield 2-23-6, Gayesha 1-1-3, Caleb Taewa 1-28-6, Alex Langford 1-20-3, Charlie Whitfield 3 catches ) by 1 wicket.

Poverty Bay won a momentous game of cricket on Thursday.

Captain Caleb Taewa sealed his team’s nail-biting, one-wicket victory with a cover drive in the 46th over of their 50-over clash with Northern Māori at the Northern Districts Rangatahi Youth (Under-17s) tournament in Whangārei.

“Our boys dug very deep in all aspects with the opening stand of 49 [Jonah Reynolds 23, Charlie Whitfield 12], Jack Roberts 20 at first drop and bowling them out for 185,” Taewa said.

“In the first innings, our medium-pacers Jett Whitaker [2-15-3 overs] and Jonah [Reynolds, 2-16-4.5] and left-arm spinner Charlie Whitfield [2-23-6] bowled well and put pressure on them with good line and length.

“During this tournament, our players have developed in all facets ...the boys have grown in confidence, self-belief and team spirit has grown.”

Taewa (31 not out), coming in at No 11, put on 71 with No 10 and fellow Gisborne Boys’ High student Patrick McInnes (36no) for the 10th wicket after it looked like Northern Māori were going to win comfortably with Poverty Bay staggering at 115-9.

McInnes and Taewa showed good maturity and shot selection in their 14.2-over collaboration and brought home only the second win out of 17 games for Poverty Bay age group teams this season. The Emerging Youth girls beat Hamilton by 52 runs at Bledisloe Park last Wednesday.

On a warm day, Māori captain Cooper Goodhue won the toss at Kensington Park and chose to bat on a quality grass turf.

Four Gisborne players turned out for the Māori, they were Johnathan Gray, twins Keanu and Akira Makiri, and Conrad Parkes.

Leg spinner Parkes took 3-41 off 10 overs in the second dig, and made 13 first-up in a 29-run opening partnership with Keanu Makiri (29). No 3 Aaryan Sharmac top scored for Māori with 49 while Angelo Giacon made 24 at five.

“Very tight bowling from the Poverty Bay lads at the start of the game made it difficult for the Māori to build partnerships through the middle of their innings,” Northern Districts Cricket Association pathways and talent coach Keegan Russell said.

“The Bay then showed grit in a structured run chase, Patrick and Caleb with outstanding application in their last-wicket partnership.”

Gisborne’s Makiri in the runs for Northern Māori

Akira Makiri starred with the bat for Northern Māori in Friday morning’s round 6 T20 clash with Waikato Valley.

Makiri made 46 from as many balls, smacking five fours and one six as his team made 129-8 in their 20 overs.

Conrad Parkes finished unbeaten on 8 off six balls.

Waikato Valley raced to the winning target in 16 overs for the loss of just one wicket, with Parkes bowling three overs for 17 runs.

Poverty Bay, after Friday’s win over Northern Māori, came plummeting back to earth in their T20 clash with Northland on Whangārei’s international ground Cobham Oval.

The Bay were rolled for just 36 in 15 overs – 13-year-old Jack Roberts their top scorer with 8.

Northland reached the required runs in the fourth over without losing a wicket.

Poverty Bay ended the week-long tournament involving eight areas with a Ten10 clash against Bay of Plenty Coastlands.

Poverty Bay were dismissed for 47 in the 10th over - Brandon Fearnley making 9 and Caleb Taewa 9 not out.

Coastlands racked up 49 for no loss of wickets in the fifth over.