Cricket: Black Cap Neil Wagner debuts for Bay of Plenty

Black Caps star Neil Wagner played for Bay of Plenty at the weekend. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty opened their Northern Districts Fergus Hickey Rosebowl campaign with a hard-fought first innings points win against Northland.

Fergus Hickey representative cricket provides Northern Districts minor association players with the opportunity to play two-day games, where the teams have time to build substantial innings and attack with various bowling options.

Two notable milestones were recorded at the Tauranga Domain at the weekend.

Stalwart Peter Drysdale took over the mantle of the most games in the Bay of Plenty uniform, in his 106th match, after sharing the record with Derek Beard over the winter break.

Black Caps bowler Neil Wagner became Bay of Plenty representative player number 552.

The team from the far north won the toss and elected to bat. Northland opener Henry Cooper anchored his teams day one performance with 116 runs as his side reached 302/8.

Cooper received plenty of assistance from Thorn Parkes (53) and James Banicevich (35).

Day two saw the Northland tail continue to wag before being removed for 350, setting the home side a substantial target to take out first innings points.

Drysdale took three wickets for 53 runs while Wagner, Chris Atkinson and Brett Hampton finished with two wickets apiece.

Bay of Plenty were 100 for the loss of three wickets when Black Cap Dean Brownlie arrived at the crease. The Bay number four was joined by Brett Hampton, with the pair putting together a 142 run partnership, with both batsmen removed for identical top scores of 94.

Northland appeared in control, with the hosts at 244 for six wickets, when New Zealand under-19 wicketkeeper Ben Pomare strode to the crease.

Pomare took a responsible approach to his team's quest for the first innings points on offer, before hitting out. The Bay keeper smacked 77 runs in an innings containing nine fours and three shots over the boundary ropes.

The dismissal of Pomare brought Wagner and Dominic Crombie together and they got their team over the line with the first ball of the 85th over.

The Northland encounter produced another significant milestone, with Bharat Popli's 30 runs taking him past the 3500 run mark to edge closer to Mike Wright's all-time record of 3950 runs.

The Fergus Hickey Rosebowl first innings points win was a notable start for new Bay of Plenty representative coach and former Black Cap Daniel Flynn in his first game in charge.

ND Fergus Hickey Rosebowl
Northland 350 (Henry Cooper 116, Thorn Parkes 53, James Banicevich 35; Peter Drysdale 3/53, Neil Wagner 2/55. Chris Atkinson 2/55, Brett Hampton 2/60).

Bay of Plenty 352/8 (Dean Brownlie 94, Brett Hampton 94, Ben Pomare 77; Brett Randell 4/64).

Result: Bay of Plenty took out first innings points.