Thompson and Gooding to boost Poverty Bay squad

NOTABLE DOUBLE: Dane Thompson, in his first games this season for Pirates, scored 72 runs against Horouta and took three wickets against OBR in Twenty20 action at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. File picture by Paul Rickard

POVERTY Bay received a double boost this week as they prepared for the three-day Northern Districts 50-over cricket tournament starting in Taupo tomorrow.

Dane Thompson (Wellington) and Alex Gooding (England) have been added to the squad who lost first-innings points to Waikato Valley in last week’s Fergus Hickey Rosebowl two-day match at Harry Barker Reserve.

“It’s a huge boost getting these two back,” Bay skipper Mitchell Turner said.

“Dane (one of Turner’s Pirates teammates) is good with bat and ball. Alex is a quality opening bowler and hard-hitting batsman.

“They’ve both played for us before and will fit in well with what is a young team with plenty of potential. Having a spin option in Jonathan Purcell, who was brilliant on debut for us last week, is an added bonus.

“It’s going to be a hard three days so we have to apply ourselves and do the basics. Playing with the white ball will be a good experience for us. Most have never played with a white ball.”

Although they lost first-innings points last weekend, there were positive aspects to both innings. Sam Tallott’s 68 runs from 119 balls in 144 minutes was the highlight of the Bay’s first-innings total of 152.

Character in the BayThe Bay showed character in their second innings when they needed 177 runs to avoid the outright loss.

With Tallott in superb form and Sean Dykes (not available for the Taupo tournament) providing support, Poverty Bay took the score from 10-2 to 119-2 before Dykes was dismissed.

Tallott followed with no addition to the score, and the Bay’s next six wickets fell for 33 runs.

“That was disappointing,” Turner said. “We should have done a lot better.”

Tallott’s brother Robbie then starred in the second innings as the Bay battled to avoid an outright defeat. Needing 177 to make Waikato Valley bat again, the 18-year-old Robbie Tallott batted 160 minutes and faced 115 balls for his 28 not out.

In Taupo, the Bay’s first game is against Counties Manukau tomorrow, followed by Northland on Monday and Waikato Valley on Tuesday.

“Alex Gooding has been a solid performer for us over the past three seasons,” Bay coach David McDonald said.

“Alistair Blackett, who wasn’t available last week due to exams, is an all-rounder. He’s an attacking batsman and a handy medium-pace bowler, and is excellent in the field.”