Willis stars for Bay

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

Arlo Willis was the star of the show yesterday.

Willis, 12, returned the remarkable figures of five wickets — all bowled — for five runs in 14 balls in Poverty Bay's third game in Year 7B 30-over section play at the Riverbend cricket camp.

The Bay lost that game against Hutt District Blue by 64 runs in the morning, and Game 4 against Karori Black by nine wickets that afternoon, yet though the Gisborne team have yet to taste victory, Willis's performance was the highlight of Day 2.

“That by Arlo was great line and length, lovely outswing,” Poverty Bay coach Jimmy Holden said.

“Moving on to today, I'm expecting the boys to work on the basics and put more value on their wicket, but also look to score runs through positive shots. We have to cut down our extras when bowling as well.”

Against Hutt, Bay captain Jonah Reynolds won the toss on Marewa Park No.1, an artificial wicket, and chose to bowl.

Hutt were dismissed for 124 in 23.2 overs by virtue of second-change Willis's magnificent effort. No.9 Lachlan Meeham led the run-scorers with 43 and No.10 Maxwell Wakeham made 28.

Three Hutt bowlers (Jack Gerrie, 2-1 from two overs, Dehan Amarasinghe, 2-7 from three, B Ross 2-7 from two overs) took two wickets each and Reynolds top-scored for Poverty Bay with 15 from 24 balls at second-drop. The Bay was bowled out for 60 in 22.1 overs

This morning the Bay played Western Bay of Plenty White on Frimley Park No.4 and were to face Napier Old Boys Marist at Petane Domain No.1 this afternoon, in their fifth game of the four-day tournament.

With the good, goes the other.

In yesterday afternoon's nine-wicket loss to Karori Black, match-captain Arlo Willis won the toss at Marewa Park and opted to bat. Caleb Taewa led the Bay's batsmen with 13 from No.8 as they were bowled out for 24 in 16.1 overs: seven ducks, one nought not out.

Karori opener Bailey Pearson-Harkness made the game's highest individual score of 5, left-arm paceman Taewa (1-9 in eight balls) having him caught by Reynolds to claim Poverty Bay's only wicket.