Mix of youth, experience in Poverty Bay squad

YOUNG GUN: Gisborne Boys’ High School all-rounder Paul Stewart in his delivery stride as umpire Tony Lee watches closely. Stewart adds to the mix of experience and youth in the Poverty Bay team to take on the Northern Districts Maori side in two cricket games at Harry Barker Reserve this weekend. File picture by Liam Clayton

Poverty Bay coach Lance Cairns has named five new players in his 12-man squad for 40-over and Twenty20 matches against the Northern Districts Maori side at Harry Barker Reserve this weekend.

The newcomers are South Africans Bruce Kerr, who will keep wicket, his countryman Matt Crampton, Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11 player-coach and all-rounder Josiah Turner, and High School Old Boys medium-pace bowlers Marshall Norris and Inder Singh.

Nicholas Hendrie, who played for Northern Districts against Canterbury this week, will lead the side, who include a good mix of experienced and young players.

Poverty Bay cricketer of the year Craig Christophers and his OBR teammate Jimmy Holden, along with HSOB players Scott Tallott and AJ Kumar, supply the experience, while Norris and Boys’ High School’s Paul Stewart and Drew Scott are the young guns.

With Hendrie in Hamilton this week, Kerr and Crampton, with help from Christophers and Holden, have taken the practice sessions.

“It was good to have at least one club game last week, and practice got better each time this week,” Kerr said.

“We’re looking forward to this weekend and we’re hoping the weather will be good.”

He said a 40-over game would be a new experience for him.

“In South Africa, club games are either 50 overs or T20, with rep matches held over three days.

“But we have guys here who are used to 40-over games, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Christophers said Turner and Singh bowled well in practice.

“It will be interesting to see how they go this weekend, but both looked good,” he said.

“We look to have a pretty good, balanced side, and the inclusion of Nick, Bruce and Matt will certainly strengthen the squad.

“We won both games against Northern Districts Maori last year but, apart from Tom Hayes and Thorn Parkes, both very good cricketers, we don’t know too much about this year’s team.”

Hendrie, looking to force his way into the Northern Knights squad, will open alongside Tallott.

If Tallott can curb his natural inclination to hit the ball over the fence from the first delivery, this partnership has the potential to lay the platform for the top order to post a total that will give the bowlers something to defend.

The 40-over game is scheduled for tomorrow, depending on the time the visitors arrive. The T20 match is set down for Monday. Both games will be at Harry Barker Reserve.

POVERTY BAY: Nicholas Hendrie (captain), Scott Tallott, Bruce Kerr, Drew Scott, Matt Crampton, Josiah Turner, Craig Christophers, Paul Stewart, Inder Singh, Marshall Norris, Jimmy Holden, AJ Kumar.