Cricket: Northland start Junior Secondary Schools comp in imposing fashion

Opening batter Sam Webb on his way to 45 against Bay of Plenty Lakelands. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

The Bella Homes Northland Junior Secondary Schools team has started their regional tournament in eye-catching fashion, registering a 108-run win over Bay of Plenty Lakelands at Kensington Park.

Whangarei is playing host to the Northern Districts Junior Secondary Schools tournament this week at both Kensington Park and Cobham Oval, but it was at the former that Northland put other teams on notice.

Openers Luke Trigg (31 off 27) and Sam Webb (45 off 35) set the tone with a 73-run stand to start the match after batting first.

When Trigg was dismissed it brought Kian Bird to the crease who continued on where Trigg left off.

Bird and Webb combined for 48 runs before Webb was caught five runs shy of a half-century.

Max Turner came in and scored an unbeaten 29, seeing Bird through to his half-century before Bird was caught for 51 off 35.

Northland ended their innings on an impressive 179/4, setting Lakelands a large chase.

It couldn't have started worse for Lakelands as Northland's opening bowler Nathan Parkes (2 for 3) took two wickets in the first over.

Parkes cleaned out Cameron Ingram's stumps for a second-ball duck before nicking off Bradley Rumble four balls later for 0.

The tight start by Northland and the huge total they were defending allowed them freedom with the ball. They took advantage of this by using 10 different bowlers for two overs each.

Cale Pooley (2 for 5) also took two wickets in an over, having opener Daniel Ford caught by Harry Cooper for 12 and then knocking over Ben Astwood's stumps for a duck.

Billy Alexander-Crawford (2 for 9) became the third bowler to register two wickets in an over by dismissing Harrison Hill and Maru Howden-Turnball in the space of four balls to leave BOP Lakelands reeling at 31-6 after 10 overs.

BOP Lakelands gained some respectability through the lower order but Alex Gordon (3 for 4) cleaned up the tail, also grabbing two wickets in an over at one point.

BOP Lakelands were dismissed for 71 on the last ball of the innings, giving Northland the 108-run thrashing.