Parkes hits unbeaten ton

BOUNDARY HUNTER: Thorn Parkes scored 14 fours on his way to a majestic 101 not out against against Northland yesterday. Picture by Paul Rickard

POVERTY Bay opener Thorn Parkes posted the first century of the North Districts senior secondary schoolboys tournament with a magnificent unbeaten 101 against Northland at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday.

Unfortunately for the home side, the 15-year-old King’s College student’s innings was not enough to stop Northland from winning.

Batting first in the 50-over game, Northland scored 249-6, then restricted the Bay to 209-9.

Northland lost two early wickets with only 11 runs on the board but a third-wicket partnership of 83 from Matthew Lobb (41) and Liam Jones (31) anchored the innings.

Parkes and Drew Scott put on 28 runs before Scott was dismissed for 11. Left-hander Parkes and skipper Robbie Tallott then put on 89 runs before Tallott was dismissed for 38 off 52 balls.

Parkes showed his class and maturity as he defied a lively Northland attack and earned praise from former Poverty Bay skipper and former New Zealand test batsman David White.

“He (Parkes) is an exceptionally talented young cricketer,” said White, New Zealand Cricket chief executive.

“He timed the ball well, showed a lot of maturity and found the gaps.”

White’s son Ollie, who scored an unbeaten 80 for Northland against Bay of Plenty Lakelands on Tuesday, was among the first to congratulate Parkes.

Parkes said it was good to score a ton but he would rather it went with a win.

“It’s all about the team,” said Parkes, who admitted that while he enjoyed being at King’s, he missed his family.

“From a cricket point of view, it’s better for me to be there (at King’s) but it’s good to be home.

“I just wish we’d won this game.”

As wickets fell at regular intervals it looked as if Parkes might not get his well-deserved ton, but he found good allies in Jack Faulkner, Sam Patterson and Paul Stewart.

Parkes was on 97 when he faced a fired-up Dylan Lynch for the first ball of the 48th over.

A dot ball was followed by a single, which had Parkes within two runs of the magical three figures.

The drama was not over, as Lynch delivered three beauties before dismissing Patterson with the last ball of the over.

It was now Lobb’s turn to try to deny Parkes his century but Parkes edged the ball for a single. Five dot balls followed before Lynch returned for the last over.

His first delivery was a no-ball, then came the moment Parkes and his teammates had been waiting for — a single to bring up the ton.

Faulkner, Patterson and Stewart may not have scored many runs but they all made valuable contributions to Parkes being unbeaten on 101.

The loss means the Bay will play the Northern Districts Invitation side in a two-day game, starting today, for seventh and eighth place.

Hamilton play Bay of Plenty Coastlands for first and second after Hamilton beat Waikato Valley. Bay of Plenty Lakelands, who lost to Coastlands, clash with Waikato Valley for third and fourth. Northland meet Counties Manukau for fifth and sixth.