Northland opening bowler Nathan Parkes was in fine form with the ball in the first innings on Saturday, picking up five wickets for 69 runs from 19.3 overs. Photo / Tania Whyte
Northland opening bowler Nathan Parkes was in fine form with the ball in the first innings on Saturday, picking up five wickets for 69 runs from 19.3 overs. Photo / Tania Whyte
A magnificent 129 from batsman Thorn Parkes saw Northland go agonisingly close to a first innings win over Bay of Plenty at Whangārei's Cobham Oval in a two-day game over the weekend.
Parkes, 19, redeemed himself after a six-ball duck the previous weekend against Hamilton by batting right through Northland'sinnings on Sunday, before losing his and the team's final wicket just one run shy of Bay of Plenty's first innings total of 282.
The result cost Northland a potential four competition points which would have put them in good stead going into the final three rounds of the five-round competition in February and March next year.
Left arm off-spinner Hamish Kidd steps through the crease at Cobham Oval on Saturday. Photo / Tania Whyte
After the visitors won the toss and chose to bat, Northland were on top early with opening bowler Liam Jones removing both opening batsmen inside four overs.
However, Bay of Plenty were able to recover through Taylor Bettelheim (66) and Fergus Lellman (82), the latter of which was dropped on 10.
"We were bowling as well as we could of which we discussed at lunch [on Saturday]," Northland coach Neal Parlane said.
"It improved a wee bit after lunch, but [Bay of Plenty] batted quite nicely."
Returning Northland opening bowler Nathan Parkes, who had missed last round's game against Hamilton, was back to his brilliant best as he claimed five wickets for 69 runs from 19.3 overs.
Northland's Ian Page was handy option under the lid. Photo / Tania Whyte
With the visitors finishing on 282, Northland lost opener Chris Page after seven balls before Nick Hammond was caught after 20 overs. That brought Thorn Parkes to the wicket but apart from Ian Page (47), Parkes couldn't build a partnership as Northland's last four wickets fell for 48 runs.
"We knew if we started well and made partnerships, we thought the opposition bowlers and fielders would tire a bit, but we just never really got that big partnership which would have got us over the line," Parlane said.
"[BOP] bowled really well and when you're under a bit of pressure and young guys come in, a couple may have tightened up."
Parlane commended the performance of young Parkes and hoped the team could regroup ahead of the Brian Dunning trophy T20 competition in Taupō in December, a tournament renowned for Northland success.
Northland captain Ben Hyde inspects the ball on the first day of their two-day game against Bay of Plenty at Cobham Oval. Photo / Tania Whyte
In Northland's premier cricket competitions, the Motel Sierra Kamo team started the T20 format strong with three wins from three games.
After a narrow two-wicket win over Kensington Tavern Onerahi Central on Thursday, Kamo toppled both Westech Automotive Maungakaramea and Kaipara Flats on Saturday at Kensington Park.
Duracrete Products City were the next best from the three rounds, winning both games on Saturday at Kensington Park after losing to FMG Northern on Friday at Cobham Oval.
