Poverty Bay primary team finish with two wins

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Two different formats, two wins to finish — the Poverty Bay boys’ primary cricket team followed up their 115-run Twenty20 win against a Hamilton invitation side on Tuesday with victory by 11 runs over the same team in 30 overs on Wednesday.

The Bay finished the Northern Districts tournament in Hamilton with two wins from four games.

Poverty Bay captain Te-Reimana Gray won the toss and elected to bat. The Bay were all out for 113 in 25.3 overs of the nine-a-side contest. They then dismissed the home team for 102 in 28.4 overs.

“Hamilton’s bowlers were much more accurate this time around,” Gray said.

Sam Briant (29 runs, batting at No.4), Angus Baker (19 at No.5) and opener Noah Torrance-Cribb (17) kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Bay.

Later, seamer Peter Reynolds (2-12 off five overs) bowled well and Campbell Steele (2-20 off 4.4 overs) took the important wicket of Snehith Reddy to win the game.

“Our two wins were a real team effort,” Gray said.

The dismissal of first drop Reddy off left-arm spinner Steele for 32 was Bay keeper Baker’s second stumping of the innings. He earlier snared No.5 Finlay Bayne for a second-ball duck off leg-spinner Dylan Foster (2-7 off five overs).

Baker also shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 47 with Briant.

The invitation team’s Liam Smith had to retire after scoring 29 off 55 balls.

Having lost to Bay of Plenty Lakelands and Coastlands at Whakatane before this week, the Poverty Bay team continued to play positive cricket.

On behalf of the team, Gray thanked coaches Matt Crampton and Graham Hudson, the managers and parents for their support.