Poverty Bay secondary school girls’ cricket team in great form

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

These girls have taken Cambridge by storm.

The Mel Knight-coached Poverty Bay secondary school girls’ cricket team today play their last round-robin match at the nine-a-side Northern Districts tournament in Cambridge.

The Kayley Knight-led Bay were in buoyant mood heading into today’s showdown against Waikato Valley at John Kerkhof Park in Cambridge.

They are raging-hot favourites to beat the Valley, who have won three from four but lost their last game to Northland by four wickets.

The Bay beat Northland by three wickets in Game 1. Having won the toss, they chose to bowl and restricted The Taniwha to 95-6. Opening bowler Grace Levy (2-13 off four overs) and Northern Spirit speedster Knight (2-16 off four) were excellent.

Poverty Bay’s Amy Thomas (11 not out) hit the first ball of Neve Anderson’s fourth over for four to bring proceedings to a close at 98-5, with five balls to spare. Opening bat Levy made a patient 25 from 40 to top Poverty Bay’s scoring list.

In Game 2, Knight’s crew won the toss and once more chose to bowl, knocking Hamilton over for 73 in 14.4 overs. Knight (2-5 off two overs), Levy (2-12 off three) and Jess Hayward (2-8 off 3.4) bowled exceedingly well. Bay No.1 Maddie Ashworth (34) and Savannah McGhee (24no) laid a great platform for the six-wicket victory with a 49-run opening stand.

On Day 2, Poverty Bay won the toss and held Bay of Plenty to 117-7, Levy (3-7 in four overs) and Ashworth (2-16 off four overs) maintaining their excellent standard with the new ball. Poverty Bay went on to win Game 3 by five wickets in 13 overs, Levy (44) and second-drop Rubi Perano making an unbeaten 54.

In Game 4, against Counties-Manukau, the Bay again won the toss but this time opted to bat.

Captain Kayley Knight opened and made 88no off 56 balls with two sixes and 11 fours, and No.4 Grace Kuil hit seven fours in her 32-ball innings of 51, as the Bay posted their highest team total to date.

Poverty Bay’s 190-2 was the second-biggest total of the tournament to date.