Poverty Bay opening bowler Stewart and second-change seamer Jacob Colbert both took 2-27 off four overs. Off-spinner Ben McNeil took 1-20 off three. Stewart’s fellow spearhead, Jack Faulkner, and first-change Travis Mitchell both took 1-22 off four.
Despite a swollen right knee, Drew Scott scored a run a ball for 14 and shared a 33-run partnership for the fifth wicket with second-drop Faulkner.
The game’s best batsman, Faulkner hit five boundaries and scored with shots to all parts of the ground in a superb innings of 56 not out from 53 balls.
Stewart took care in an innings of 31 off 42 balls from No.3.
Invitation new-ball bowlers Rhys Kleuskens (1-7 off three) and Shaan Bhaita (1-19 off four) were standout performers.
Invitation team coach Jake Rowe has a side made up of four players from Hamilton, four from Northland and two each from Bay of Plenty Coastlands and Counties-Manukau.
“It was a gritty performance all round; everyone contributed in some way from both sides and the result could have gone either way,” he said.
“Poverty Bay held two exceptional catches.”
Invitation opener Daniel Blundon was the first man to fall, in spectacular fashion (for three) in the game. He was caught at slip by McNeil, low down, off the bowling of Stewart with the score at 14. Jake Clare (6), batting at five, looked to hammer a short ball from McNeil and was caught at short cover by a diving Faulkner.
In Day 2 action this morning, Waikato Valley were to play Bay of Plenty Lakelands and Northland were to play Counties-Manukau in Pool A, while Poverty Bay were to play Hamilton and the Invitation team were to play Bay of Plenty Coastlands in Pool B.
