Fantastic bowling and fielding performance has helped Bay of Plenty's second XI cricket team redeem themselves over the only team that beat them last season.
The Craigs Investment Partners Bay of Plenty Development team cruised to victory over Poverty Bay in their Basil McBurney Trophy match on Sunday, with the home side entering the Northern Districts Development contest with two narrow losses in the last two seasons.
Last season Poverty Bay's three run defeat of the Bay was their only loss on the way to winning the ND Development competition.
Poverty Bay won the toss and backed themselves by taking first use of the Bay Oval strip, which looked to have plenty of runs in it. The visitors' first wicket fell with just eight runs on the board, with the key wicket of Nick Hendrie caught behind by Cameron Ingram for 26, having Poverty Bay in real trouble at 41/4.
The Poverty Bay innings came to an end with the fourth ball of the 38th over, when they were all out for 111. Bay captain Dominic Crombie led the way with the ball, taking three wickets at a cost of 20 runs, with Josh Earle and Daniel Price taking two wickets apiece.
Bay of Plenty coach Russell Williams said it was "a fantastic bowling and fielding performance from our lads that set up a great win".
Two of the young guns of Bay of Plenty Cricket, Taylor Bettelheim and Fergus Lellman, strode to the wicket determined to waste as little time as possible in bringing home a Bay of Plenty victory. It took just 18 overs to take the competition win points on offer, without losing a wicket.
Lellman top scored with an unbeaten 55 at a tad better than a run a ball, in an innings that contained eight fours and one shot over the boundary ropes. Bettleheim was as dominant as his partner, posting 49 not out, which included six boundaries.
"Our two openers in Taylor and Fergus were very deliberate in their choice of shots in the run chase, which led to a very convincing win," Williams says.
"I was really happy with our all-round performance and how we are moving forward as a group."
The Bay of Plenty second XI now take a break until February 2020, when they will aim to retain their unbeaten ND Development season record in games against Counties Manukau, Hamilton and Waikato Valley.
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Sunday's ND Development competition:
Poverty Bay 111 (N Hendrie 26; Dominic Crombie 3-20, Daniel Price 2-20, Josh Earle 2-25) lost to Bay of Plenty Development 115/0 (Fergus Lellman 55no, Taylor Bettelheim 49no).
Basil McBurney Trophy Schedule 2019/2020:
February 2, 2020: Bay of Plenty Development v Counties Manukau, Karaka.
February 16, 2020: Bay of Plenty Development v Hamilton, Bay Oval.
March 8, 2020: Bay of Plenty Development v Waikato Valley, Bay Oval.