Cricket: Popli joins all-time greats

Bay of Plenty master blaster Bharat Popli passed a significant all-time batting milestone in the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl match against Northland on day two of the annual ND one-day tournament.

Popli's 90 runs against BOP's opponents from the Far North resulted in the youthful batsman becoming just the fifth Bay of Plenty representative to post 2000 runs.

It has taken Popli just five and a bit seasons in the Bay of Plenty uniform to move into fifth place on the all-time batting stakes.

Popli has put together some amazing statistics since he was plucked from the Tauranga Boys' College 1st XI to play for BOP against Hamilton in 2008.

Few batsmen have made a more spectacular entrance than Popli into Fergus Hickey Rosebowl cricket, smashing a century on debut.

The youngster was unfazed facing the Fergus Hickey heavyweights as he battered the Hamilton bowlers to post 113.

The BOP honours board centuries reads like a who's who of Bay of Plenty cricket.

New Zealand wicket keeper Eric Petrie became the third Bay of Plenty batsmen to post the magical three figure score, followed later by Mike Wright, Andy Roberts, Derek Beard, Grant McKenzie and Kyle Wealleans.

In recent times the list includes former Black Caps Mathew and Robbie Hart and Lorne Howell along with Mathew Drake and Ben Williams.

Two seasons ago Bharat equalled Richard Shrimpton, Mike Wright and Mathew Hart's total of four centuries - before forging ahead of the three legendary BOP batsmen to take outright ownership of the record with two further centuries last season.

Leading the all time list with 3980 runs is Mike Wright who played 22 seasons in the Bay strip, followed by Derek Beard (2843) who holds a record 105 appearances for the Bay 1st XI.

Sitting in third spot is former Black Cap Mathew Hart (2446) with Grant Manners fourth with 2368.

Bharat Popli

Matches 42

Runs 2003

Debut: December 6 2008 v Hamilton (two day match)

Centuries:

113 v Hamilton (08/09) on debut

122no v Poverty Bay (08/09)

103no v Hamilton (09/10)

108no v Counties Manukau (10/11)

126no v Waikato Valley (12/13)

100 v Canterbury Country (12/13) Hawke Cup Direct Challenge

Bay of Plenty Most Runs:

3980 Mike Wright (103 BOP Matches)

2843 Derek Beard (105 BOP Matches)

2446 Mathew Hart (56 BOP Matches)

2368 Grant Manners (79 BOP Matches)

2009 Bharat Popli (42 BOP Matches)