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A LOOK BACK AT BAY OF PLENTY HAWKE CUP HISTORY

The Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Direct Challenge against Manawatu this weekend (7/9 February 2014) provides the ideal opportunity to look back at the Bay’s Hawke Cup record, since they played their first Hawke Cup game in 1932.

Bay of Plenty, was in fact playing their first representative match after becoming affiliated to New Zealand Cricket, the preceding year. The match against South Auckland at Seddon Park in Hamilton saw the home side post 333 all out. Bay of Plenty were bowled out for 59, then produced an improved performance in their second turn at bat to reach 171 all out.

Six years later, Bay of Plenty faced Waikato in their second Hawke Cup Direct Challenge with dismal results. While Bay of Plenty dismissed the home side for 263, they were bundled out for 30 in their first dig and even worst in the second innings, were rolled for 22 – which remains as Bay of Plenty’s worst batting performance.

The Bays first victory, in the long time symbol of New Zealand minor association cricket superiority, came in the ninth challenge against Hawkes Bay in 1986. A successful defence (against Central Otago) took place in the last Hawke Cup challenge of the season, before a roller coaster Hawke Cup ride for the Bay team in 1987.

The first defence of the year resulted in victory over Horowhenua, before arch rivals Hawke Bay came to Smallbone Park in Rotorua, to take the prestigious piece of New Zealand Cricket silverware home. Just three weeks later Bay of Plenty had the first challenge against Hawkes Bay and courtesy of a big knock of 135 from Bay of Plenty legendary all rounder Derek Beard, Bay of Plenty had the Hawke Cup back. In the last challenge of 1987, Southland came and conquered at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui.

The second Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup winning sequence came when the Bay relieved Auckland/ Manukau of the prize in 1997. Two weeks later, one of the best Bay of Plenty batting performances ever witnessed took place at Blake Park Mount Maunganui, when Central Otago made the long journey north. The match, in which Graeme Aldridge made his Bay of Plenty debut, produced a number of highlights. Bay of Plenty simply batted the visitors out of the match on day one. The fall of wickets (33, 33, 50, 123, 304, 369, 398, 486, 513) tells the story of a circumspect start followed by total domination. With the score at 50/3, Simon Winter strode to the wicket to blaze his way into Bay of Plenty Cricket history. His 181 runs was the highest total ever recorded by a Bay of Plenty batsman (until overtaken by Brett Hampton and Joe Carter in the Hawke Cup victory against Hamilton last season).

After the herculean performance against Central Otago - Bay of Plenty had the Hawke Cup blasted from their grip, when Wellington City smashed 633/9 against the Bay to take the silverware home to New Zealand’s Capital City in early 1998.

Two unsuccessful challenges against Dunedin (2000) and Manawatu (2010) took place before the current run of Hawke Cup success began last January (2013).

While there were a myriad of new Bay of Plenty records set during the 2012/13season, the most outstanding feat came when Bay of Plenty relieved Hamilton of the Hawke Cup. The 701 runs blasted by the Bay team, established a new highest total of runs in a single innings, since the Hawke Cup was presented in 1910 by Lord Hawke. While Bay Cricket historians will trumpet the feats of Brett Hampton (194) and Joe Carter (187) the side batted right down the order. Bharat Popli experienced every batsman’s nightmare being removed for 99 with Mitch McCann producing a fighting knock of 69.

Arguably, Bay of Plenty’s best ever performances came in the first Hawke Cup defence against long time rivals Manawatu at the Bay Oval. In the finest traditions of the Hawke Cup, the second direct challenge of the season, went right down to the wire on day three. After conceding first innings points, Bay of Plenty pulled off an outstanding comeback to grab what seemed at times, an unlikely outright victory.

The visitors to the Bay Oval batted first and were removed for 275, with Brett Hampton returning 3/48. The Bay of Plenty pursuit of first innings points came up short when they were dismissed for 256, with Hampton top scoring with 89 runs. With a day and a session remaining in the game, a Bay of Plenty outright victory was the only way that NZ Cricket prize would remain in the Bay. The Bay bowlers dug deep and led by a five wicket bag by Tony Goodin removed Manawatu for 188.

With just over a session remaining in the Hawke Cup decider, the Bay of Plenty target was 208 in 37 overs. The Bay openers got away to a cracking start with the score at 103 when Peter Drysdale was adjudged lbw for 43. New Zealand Under 19 representative Joe Carter continued the momentum before being caught on 77 off 78 balls.   After skipper Jono Boult went for 19 runs - Brett Hampton and Bharat Popli came together to attempt to take the home side to a come from behind win. Hampton smashed an unbeaten 41 off 35 balls with Popli caning 19 off just 12 balls – with Bay of Plenty retaining the Hawke Cup with 15 balls to spare.

Then followed two further successful Hawke Cup defences against Canterbury Country and South Canterbury, to end the 2013 Hawke Cup Direct Challenges with a record three successful defences. Two weeks ago the current Bay of Plenty side took their run of Hawke Cup defences to four, when they outmuscled Hamilton in the first challenge of the season.

During the eighty-two years since Bay of Plenty played South Auckland at Seddon Park, there have been a myriad of records established. 144 players have played in the Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Direct Challenges. The record for most appearances belongs to Derek Beard who played in 13 matches from 1983 until 1998.

Derek also holds the record for most runs of 549. However Brett Hampton who has blasted the Bay highest score of 194 and another century to become the only Bay batsman with two Hawke Cup tons – has raced into second place behind Derek with 486 runs from just five Hawke Cup games

Tony Goodin has made no race of the wickets with an amazing 31 wickets from just six Hawke Cup games. Derek Beard sits in second place on the all-time list with 21 bowling scalps. Tony is the only Bay bowler to take ten wickets (or better) in a Hawke Cup match achieving the feat against South Canterbury last year.

Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Matches (1932-2014) - 26
Wins - 11
1986  defeated Hawkes Bay
1986  defeated Central Otago (defence)
1987  defeated Horowhenua (defence)
1987  defeated Hawkes Bay
1997  defeated Auckland/Manukau
1997  defeated Central Otago (defence)
2013  defeated Hamilton
2013  defeated Manawatu (defence)
2013  defeated Canterbury Country (defence)
2013  defeated South Canterbury (defence)
2014  defeated Hamilton (defence)

Losses  - 15

Most Appearances
13 DA Beard ((1982-86-87-91-94-97-98
10 MJE Wright (1969-72-76-86-87-91)
7 ADG Roberts (1982-86-87)

Most Runs
549 DA Beard  HS 135
486 BR Hampton  HS 194
395 MJE Wright  HS 87
381 ADG Roberts  HS 117
414 JF Carter  HS 187

Most Wickets
31 TG Goodin  BB 7/42
21 DA Beard  BB 6/48
17 J Derrick   BB (4/87 & 4/60 v Hawkes Bay Feb 1987)
12 BL Cairns  BB 4/33
11 BR Hampton  BB 3/33

Centuries
194 BR Hampton  v Hamilton   2013
187 JF Carter  v Hamilton   2013
181 SL Winter  v Central Otago   1997
135 DA Beard  v Hawkes Bay   1987
117 ADG Roberts  v Hawkes Bay   1986
115 GW McKenzie v Manawatu   1994
103 BR Hampton  v Hamilton   2014
100 B Popli  v Canterbury Country  2013

Ten Wickets in a Match (or better)
7/42 & 5/91 TG Goodin v South Canterbury  2013

Six Wickets (or better)
7/42 TG Goodin  v South Canterbury  2013
6/48 LR Spring  v Manawatu   1940
6/48 DA Beard  v Auckland/Manukau  1997
6/65 DJ White  v Hawkes Bay   1987
6/92 RS Cunis  v Southland   1976