Tough day at the office for PB boys

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

CRICKET by Ben O’Brien-Leaf

Poverty Bay opened their Northern Districts junior secondary schoolboys cricket tournament with two T20 losses at Whangarei’s Kensington Oval yesterday.

In Game 1, Bay of Plenty Coastlands batted first and made 194-5, including a top score of 56.

Poverty Bay leg-spinner Liam Barbier took 3-30 off four overs and seamer Cohen Loffler 2-38 off four.

Poverty Bay were bowled out for 61 in 18.5 overs.

As tough as the 133-run loss was, it was also a recovery. Poverty Bay lost Luke Fisher, Nathan Trowell and Loffler without a run on the board and at one stage were 5-5.

Their top scorer was No.9 Travis O’Rourke with 16.

In Game 2, Counties-Manukau batted first and reached 162-5.

They then dismissed Poverty Bay for 82 in 19.2 overs for an 80-run win.

Poverty Bay’s best partnership was a 37-run stand for the ninth wicket between second drop Noah Torrance-Cribb (16) and DJ Penfold (7).

Daniel Watts (2-42 off 3) and left-arm seamer Lukas Fry (1-10 off 1) picked up wickets for Poverty Bay in the first innings.

“The standard here is really high. The cricket’s intense,” said Poverty Bay captain Trowell. “Our bowlers are doing well but we need more runs.”

Bay head coach Bruce Kerr agreed that the bowlers performed well in both games.

“It was a tough day at the office. We’re looking to learn from our mistakes and improve today.”