Cricket: Bay of Plenty senior men's teams in action this weekend

Tim Clarke will play his final game for Bay of Plenty this weekend. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty enters their last ND Fergus Hickey Rosebowl game of the season with the desire to finish with a flourish. The Bay of Plenty First XI square off with Waikato Valley at the Tauranga Domain at the weekend.

BOP head coach Charles Williams hopes ''to have a positive finish to our season".

"The boys have been consistently training well and have gone into each game full of confidence, which makes it frustrating that we failed to retain the Hawke Cup and despatch Hamilton," he said.

There are two changes to the team that lost first-innings points to Hamilton two weeks ago. Stephen Crossan replaces Bharat Popli, who is on ND duty, and ND Knight Brett Hampton returns to the team.

"Stephen Crossan finally gets his opportunity to open the batting and should bring some much need energy to the batting line-up. Coupled with the return of Brett Hampton, who should be very confident after a very successful ND one-day campaign and will not only bring experience, but also his all-round abilities, with bat and ball," Williams said.

"Waikato Valley are no longer a team that we can take lightly. They are full of experienced ND players and also up and coming ND A team members. We know that we will be involved in a dogfight for the points on offer."

There will be some sadness in the Bay of Plenty dressing room at the match conclusion as wicket-keeper Tim Clarke is hanging up his gloves to spend more time at home with family.

"Tim has been a very proud and long-serving Bay of Plenty player and has been part of some great moments over his years in the side," Williams said.

"While the boys don't need any more motivation, I am sure that they will want to send Tim off with a win".

Bay of Plenty team to play Waikato Valley
Jono Boult (captain), Tom MacRury, Stephen Crossan, Joe Carter, Sean Davey, Ben Musgrave, Brett Hampton, Tim Clarke, Tim Pringle, Tommy Clout, Tony Gooding, Chris Atkinson. Coach Charles Williams, assistant coach Russell Williams.

TJ (Tim) Clarke
BOPCA Representative Player Number 500.
Debut v Northland November 14, 2010.
Games 76, Runs 1476, one century 110, 2 wickets.

Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty Development team has another long road trip this weekend after a heartbreaking loss to Northland in Whangarei last Sunday.

Bay of Plenty play Poverty Bay in Gisborne in a match rescheduled from their rained out encounter last month.

Te Puke youngster Daniel Price will make his Bay of Plenty senior representative debut, while Cadets' Gurwinder Singh returns from injury.

With two games to play in the current Basil McBurney Trophy competition, Bay of Plenty has a one-win — two-loss season record. Success in Gisborne and in their last match with Counties Manukau could give them a chance of a top-two finish.

Last Sunday, Northland batted first at Cobham Oval and were bowled out for 229, with four balls remaining in their turn at bat. Dominic Crombie and Brody Gilroy both captured three wicket bags, while Cam Riley bowled economically to take 2-26.

Stephen Crossan, who has earned promotion to Bay of Plenty Fergus Hickey Rosebowl team for this weekend's match with Waikato Valley, scored 78 at a tick over a run a ball.
Wicket-keeper Ben Pomare continued his side's momentum with 48, but the Bay fell four runs short of victory.

Bay of Plenty Dev team v Poverty Bay
Fergus Lellman, Blair McKenzie, Marcel Collett, Ben Pomare, Ruben Clinton, Dominic Crombie, Daniel Price, Cameron Riley, James Boyd, Iman Singh, Brody Gilroy, Gurwinder Singh. Coach Russell Williams, manager Shaun Riley.