Hawke Cup Defence v Hawkes Bay

Posted: Thursday, 9 February 2017

Bay Of Plenty Square Off With Hawkes Bay In A Hawke Cup Direct Challenge At The Bay Oval This Weekend

The Bay of Plenty Senior Men’s cricket team, head towards their second Hawke Cup Direct Challenge defence this weekend (10th – 12th February 2017) at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui - after defeating ND counterparts Counties Manukau in the first 2017 challenge.

Bay of Plenty is well versed in the rigors of three-day Hawke Cup Direct Challenges, having played in eight NZ Cricket Minor Association encounters, since lifting the trophy from Hamilton in January 2013. The Bay of Plenty team defended the long-time NZ Cricket prize on four occasions, before losing it to Manawatu in February 2014.

Their latest Hawke Cup run started in March 2016, when they relieved Hawkes Bay of the big cricket prize. Two weeks ago the Bay of Plenty representatives repelled a Counties Manukau challenge, blasting 701 runs after being sent into bat, after the visitors won the toss. The marathon innings, which was highlighted by visiting Yorkshire professional Alex Lees smashing the Bay of Plenty all-time highest score of 223, equaled the Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup total against Hamilton in 2013.

However the Bay of Plenty side received a huge wakeup call last weekend, when Hamilton took first innings points from the Bay side, in a Fergus Hickey Rosebowl encounter. The Bay of Plenty bowlers had the Waikato team in real trouble at 189/9, but let them off the hook to declare at 409/9

Bay of Plenty Coach Graeme Aldridge said “Our expectations for this weekend are to again win a game of cricket for the Bay of Plenty. The boys are enjoying the continuous weekends of rep cricket and are working away to make sure it continues for a few more weeks”.

“ From the Hamilton game, I hope we have learnt to adapt to certain situations a lot quicker in terms of tactics, be we also need to deliver more quality ball for longer periods’. “We went missing for a session and that basically killed the game for us”.

“Sean Davey was a standout last week and I’m hoping that he is progressing with his fitness during the week so he can play an even bigger part with the ball against Hawkes Bay”.

While the Bay of Plenty side will enter the Hawke Cup match-up with expectations of success, Hawkes Bay will have a single-minded focus, to regain the NZ Cricket prize that Bay of Plenty took away from them last March. Bay of Plenty led by 156 at the half-way stage, before Hawkes Bay came back to post 361/5 in their second turn at bat. Chasing a target of 206, Bay of Plenty got home with six wickets to spare, with Ben Musgrave top scoring with 102 runs.

NZ Cricket Hawke Cup 2017
10-12 February 2017 Bay of Plenty (Holders) v Zone Two Winners – Hawkes Bay
Bay of Plenty Team (Hawke Cup Direct Challenge appearances in brackets)
Peter Drysdale – captain (9) Tom MacRury (7) Alex Lees (1) Ben Musgrave (4) Joe Carter (6) Chris Atkinson (1) Tim Clarke (7) Iman Singh (1) Sean Davey (6) Tony Goodin (8) Donovan Deeble (1) Brenton Thompson (debut)
Coach: Graeme Aldridge Assistant Coach: Charles Williams
Manager: Wayne Brill

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