Cricket: Bay of Plenty jubilant in Rosebowl win

Chris Atkinson bowling on debut for Bay of Plenty at Bay Oval at the weekend. Photo / George Novak

There was plenty of jubilation in the Bay of Plenty camp after they won the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl by grabbing first innings points from Hamilton at the Bay Oval on Sunday.

Bay of Plenty went out to bat on Saturday morning on day one of the two-day encounter with an unbeaten season record and at 125/2 were going along with a full head of steam. Bay of Plenty skipper Peter Drysdale opened the batting and was patience personified before being removed for the inning's top score of 65 made off 256 balls

Ben Musgrave was also in good touch and was rewarded with a solid 59, with Jono Boult chipping in with a hard fought 28 runs. With 200 runs on the board and five wickets in hand, the home team were in good shape before the Hamilton bowlers fought back to have Bay of Plenty 240/8 at stumps on day one.

Bay of Plenty added 10 runs to their overnight total, before being dismissed early on day two for 250.

The Bay bowlers had early success, with Bay of Plenty quicks Donovan Deeble and Tommy Clout taking two wickets apiece.

The introduction of spin paid dividends, with Boult grabbing three wickets, which took his all-time Bay of Plenty wicket tally to 107. Dale Swan also bowled with real enthusiasm to be rewarded with two wickets, as Bay of Plenty removed Hamilton for 230 to take out a hard fought victory and the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl, with the Poverty Bay two-day game in hand.

Bay of Plenty has won the Fergus Hickey prize for the 15th time since their first victory in the 1979/80 season. The Hamilton two-day win followed victory over their arch rivals in the ND one-day tournament in December. However, the Bay of Plenty representatives will want to end their Fergus Hickey season, with an unbeaten run, when they play Poverty Bay in three weeks time.

Bay of Plenty 250 (Peter Drysdale 65, Ben Musgrave 59, Jono Boult 28; M Doddunski 3/11) took first innings points from Hamilton 230 (J Walker 61no; J Boult 3/72, Donovan Deeble 2/29, Tommy Clout 2/42, Dale Swan 2/49)