Tomlinson century highlights a mixed bag

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

A VICTORY to celebrate and a defeat to forget summed up Poverty Bay’s mixed weekend in the Northern Districts women’s trophy 40-over cricket competition in Tauranga at the weekend.

Bay captain Kerry Tomlinson provided the highlight of their two games, with a superb century in a 187-run demolition of Waikato Valley at Fergusson Park.

However, PB were brought back to earth with a thump by Hamilton on Sunday, losing by 170 runs.

Northern Spirit squad member Tomlinson’s 127 runs off 101 balls was her second district-level ton, PB coach David McDonald said.

“It included 10 fours and two big sixes and a feature of her innings was the excellent running between the wickets in the hot energy-sapping 30-degree conditions.”

It anchored PB’s 240 for five.

Tomlinson shared a second-wicket stand of 62 with Lucy McHugh (17) and a fourth-wicket combination with Olivia Lobb (40) before she was dismissed in the 37th over.

PB bowlers get to workThe PB bowlers backed up the skipper’s heroics. Tayla Hollis ripped through the top order on her way to 4-12, Nicole Torrie took 2-5, Phoebe Taylor 2-5 and McHugh 1-3.

“The fielding effort was outstanding, with all chances taken,” McDonald said.

The next day was a different scenario, with dropped catches proving costly as Hamilton racked up 202-9.

McDonald felt PB “had the break on them” at 66-1 after 20 overs but dropping captain Janice Fraser, who went on to make 57, and former White Fern Nadalie Todd (50) proved costly.

Hamilton punished those lapses by scoring 136 runs in the last 20 overs.

Jayda Tainui took 3-31, Hollis 2-34, Taylor 1-29 and Jordy Hardacre 1-13.

Wicketkeeper Lobb was “outstanding”, McDonald said. She took three stumpings off Tainui’s medium pace.

PB’s batting, however, crumbled in the heat, on a pitch McDonald said was “slow and very low” by the time they came out to chase.

They were rolled for just 32.

PB finish the competition against Bay of Plenty, against whom they need a convincing win. They also need Waikato Valley to upset Hamilton.