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Hawke Cup Challenge Day One

Day One

There were a few raised eyebrows at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, after Counties Manukau won the toss in the Hawke Cup Direct Challenge against current holders Bay of Plenty and asked the home side to bat first.

The decision looked to have back fired on the visitors, with Bay of Plenty reaching 367 for the loss of just three wickets at stumps on day one. Yorkshire limited over captain Alex Lees rewrote the Bay of Plenty representative score books, reaching 208 not out at the end of play.

The Northern Hemisphere batsman who is playing in the Bay of Plenty during the Northern winter, became just the second Bay of Plenty batsman in 85 years, to sail past the 200 run mark. Lees unbeaten total is the highest Bay of Plenty total by a Bay of Plenty batsman on debut and the highest Bay of Plenty score in a Hawke Cup Direct Challenge.

Not to be outdone in Bay of Plenty milestones - Bay of Plenty skipper Peter Drysdale went past the 2500 run mark for his province with a hard fought 84 runs. The Bay of Plenty captain and fellow opener Tom MacRury got the home side away to a good start reaching 75, when MacRury was dismissed for 32. The hosts were well in truly in charge, when Drysdale was dismissed having got to 272 for the loss of two wickets.

Hawke Cup Direct Challenge – Day One

Bay of Plenty 367/3 (AZ Lees 208no, RPO Drysdale 84, TJ MacRury 32; BA Rhodes 2/54)