ND Māori skipper puts Poverty Bay to the sword at rangatahi tourney

Northern Districts Māori skipper Sebastian Heath scored the first century of the Northern Districts Emerging Rangatahi tournament in Gisborne.

NORTHERN DISTRICTS EMERGING RANGATAHI BOYS’ TOURNAMENT, GISBORNE

Round 1, 50-over games

Classic Builders Bay of Plenty Coastlands 242-8 (Joshua Parsons 79, Reuben Carter 37, Sam Clode 35, Billy Ramsden 22 not out; Joshua Weerasinghe 4 wickets for 31 runs off 10 overs, Hemanth Akula 2-21 off 5) def Hamilton 139 all out in 41.2 overs (Gus Tustin 3-20 off 7, Billy Ramsden 3-28 off 8, Jake Riley 2-10 off 5) by 103 runs.

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Bay of Plenty Lakelands 201 all out in 48.2 overs (Sean Gapes 80, Tom Yetsenga 30, Liam du Plessis 20; Tommy Litchfield 3-19 off 9, Campbell Soanes 2-30 off 8) def Northland 173 all-out in 43.4 overs (Tommy Litchfield 48, Zac Laing 31, Sanchit Chopra 27, Campbell Soanes 20; Riley Kusabs 3-14 off 5, Jonah Funnell 2-37 off 10, Jono Park 2-43 off 9) by 28 runs.

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Waikato Valley 244-6-24.5 overs (Flynn Morey 91no, Reid Bishop 54, Ishi Singh 32; Hugo Harkness 2-44 off 7, Guransh Singh 2-41 off 3.5 overs) def Counties-Manukau 241-9 (Abhay Kaushal 55, Aryandeep Mann 43, Sterling Speedy 35, Guransh Singh 30, Chainvir Singh 28; Jack Anderson 3-21 off 4, Benji Bell 2-34 off 10) by four wickets.

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Northern Districts Maori 297-7 (Sebastian Heath 102, Jacob Hagoort 44, Ryan Smardon 23no, Billy Condon 21no, Andy Rogers 21; Johnathon Gray 2-21 off 7, Connor Starck 2-31 off 7) def Poverty Bay 97 all out in 23.4 overs (Rhys Grogan 23; Ryan Smardon 3-15 off 4, Kaden Cossill 2-15 off 6) by 200 runs.

Sebastian Heath made hay on a sunny opening day of the Northern Districts Emerging Rangatahi cricket tournament in Gisborne on Monday.

The Northern Districts Māori Invitation team skipper made 102 against Poverty Bay at Harry Barker Reserve - the first century of the week-long competition.

Heath ‘s knock came off 88 balls and included a six and nine fours as the Māori posted 297 for seven wickets in 50 overs after Poverty Bay captain Alex Shanks won the toss and chose to bowl.

In response, the home team were dismissed for 97 in 23.4 overs. Seventh man in Rhys Grogan top-scored with 23 off 17 balls, including five boundaries.

ND Māori left-arm orthodox spinner Ryan Smardon took 3-15 off four overs and leg spinner Jacob Hagoort returned figures of 1-6 off 2.4 overs.

Smardon cleverly angled in from around the wicket to hit the stumps of Shanks (1) and his fellow right-handers Taye McGuinness (8) and Grogan.

Tall opening bowler Kaden Cossill took 2-16 off five overs for the Māori but equally good was Poverty Bay left-armer Johnathon Gray, who, other than a full toss that was hit for four, was pinpoint accurate in taking 2-21 off seven overs, one of those a maiden.

Poverty Bay faced Bay of Plenty Lakelands on Tuesday in another 50-over clash.