Bay hold narrow lead heading into encounter

The Bay of Plenty senior men's cricket team will continue their quest to earn the 2016 ND Hawke Cup Direct Challenge, when they play Northland in Whangarei.

The two-day match will be held today and tomorrow.

The Bay of Plenty side have a narrow lead at the top of the table from Northland, in the calendar year competition played within the annual Fergus Hickey Rosebowl competition.

James Boyd, will make his debut in the Bay of Plenty 1st XI, after good form in the Attrill Cup and Baywide competition.

The Greerton leg spin bowler sits near the top of the Baywide Cup wicket tally, with nine scalps and season best figures of 4-7. The young leggie has continued to polish his craft in the Bay of Plenty 2nd XI with plenty of success in the last couple of seasons.

Bay of Plenty will produce a strong line-up in the far north, with three Northern Knight players in Tony Goodin, Bharat Popli and Joe Carter available for the weekend encounter.

Popli has become just the third Bay of Plenty batsman to pass the 2500-run mark.

Popli brought up the magical mark when he blasted 111 against Counties Manukau two weeks ago. Popli sits behind Bay of Plenty legends Mike Wright (3950) and Derek Beard (2843) on the all-time Bay of Plenty runs list.

- Bay of Plenty :

Pete Drysdale (c) Ben Musgrave, Tony Goodin (Mount Maunganui), Bharat Popli (vc, Bay of Plenty Indian Sports), Tom MacRury, Campbell Thomas, Tommy Clout, James Boyd (Greerton), Joe Carter, Sean Davey (Cadets), Tim Clarke (Tauranga Boys' College), Andrew Gibbs (Central). Coach: Graeme Aldridge. Manager: Charles Williams.