Northern Districts schoolboys tournament playoffs today

SIX OF THE BEST: Gisborne Boys’ High School bowler Ben McNeil captured six wickets for 23 runs in Poverty Bay senior secondary schoolboys win against the Northland Invitation team at harry barker Reserve yesterday. Pictures by Paul Rickard

POVERTY Bay meet Northland at Harry Barker Reserve today in the bottom-four playoffs of the Northern Districts senior secondary schoolboys tournament.

After losing both their twenty20 games on Monday, the Bay battled back to beat Northern Districts Invitation in the first of the 50-over one-day games yesterday.

Bay offspinner Ben McNeil ripped through the Invitation side’s middle and lower order to finish with six wickets for 23 runs off 10 overs.

NDI were rolled for 120 after being 93-4.

Gisborne Boys’ High student McNeil was introduced into the attack in the 22nd over and justified captain Robbie Tallott’s decison by taking wickets in his second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth overs.

“Ben’s control and length made it easy to set fields and he bowled exceptionally well,” said Bay coach Ben O’Brien Leaf.

“We’ve got three good spinners — Ben, Caleb Greaves and Thorn Parkes — all different types, who have received coaching from (NZ cricket great) Lance Cairns, who has been only too happy to help out.”

O’Brien-Leaf also praised Tallott, who scored an unbeaten 40 as the Bay reached their target for the loss of four wickets, wicketkeeper James Rowe, Drew Scott, Paul Stewart and Jack Faulkner for praise.

Leading from the front“Robbie is leading from the front. He’s setting good discipline on and off the field while still retaining his competitive streak.

“James is just new to keeping but did a great job, standing up to three different spinners. Paul Stewart bowled very good line and length.

“Drew was asked to open the batting just before lunch and did the job to take us to to lunch without losing a wicket.”

With the score at 48-3 following the dismissals of Scott, Parkes (32) and Keegan Martin, Tallott and Jarrod Davenport (21) shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 45 runs.

“James Faulkner came into the side at short notice when James Torrie was injured in the warm-up and he did really well, holding two good catches,” O’Brien Leaf said.

The top four semifinals pit Hamilton against Waikato Valley and BoP Lakelands against BoP Coastlands. The winners meet in a two-day final over tomorrow and Friday.

Counties Manukau face ND invitation in the other bottom four semifinal.

Hamilton’s Ryan Perera starred with the bat yesterday, scoring 90 as his side amassed 251-8 then rolled Counties Manukau for 135.

50-over results — Poverty Bay 121-4 (Robbie Tallott 40not out, Thorn Parkes 32, Jarrod Davenport 21) def ND Invitation 120 (Daniel Price 29; Ben McNeil 6-23) by six wickets.

Northland 159 lost to BOP Lakelands 160-6 by four wickets.

Hamilton 251-8 def Counties Manukau 135 by 216 runs.

BOP Coastlands 129 def Waikato Valley 98 by 31 runs.