Prolific batsmen to represent Bay in crucial clash

COMEBACK: Daniel Flynn heads a star-studded batting line-up for Bay of Plenty this weekend. PHOTO: FILE

Bay of Plenty has named one of the strongest batting line-ups ever fielded at minor association level for the top-of-the-table Fergus Hickey Rosebowl clash against Waikato Valley in Hamilton this weekend.

Experienced Northern Districts regular batsmen Daniel Flynn, Bharat Popli and allrounders Brett Hampton and Jono Boult return to the Bay colours.

They join Yorkshire and England A batsman Alex Lees, Northern Districts batsman Joe Carter and prolific openers Peter Drysdale and Tom MacRury in a top order that may give the Waikato Valley bowlers something to fear.

Former Black Cap Flynn, 31, has missed most of the season with a hip injury and will be hungry for quality time at the crease at St Paul's College in Hamilton. He has nearly 7000 first class runs to his name and has scored 20 first-class centuries.

Popli, like Flynn, made his Bay of Plenty debut while in the Tauranga Boys' First XI, and while the 26-year-old has struggled to repeat last season's outstanding run-scoring for Northern Districts he will relish being back in the Bay side.

Popli has scored 10 centuries for Bay of Plenty, with teammates Carter (five) and MacRury (four) next on the list.

Yorkshire pro Lees has made two centuries in three bats for the Bay with his first setting an all-time high score for the province of 223.

The Bay bowling will be led by Hampton and fellow ND strike bowler Tony Goodin with quality off-spin from Boult. Former NZ Under-19 opening bowler Sean Davey is in fine form with both bat and ball and has scored consecutive centuries for the Bay.

Captain Drysdale is the first Bay player to pass 2500 runs. He is delighted to have such a strong team to lead this weekend.

"For the first-class guys it is preparation for them going into their four-day Plunket Shield games so we need to make sure those guys prepare well," he said.

"The Bay side is a very good team to be at the helm of. My style I guess, is to take ideas from everyone and just use the best ones that resonate with me and what I think are best.

"It is great having guys like Daniel Flynn in the side but it is about getting buy-in from everyone regardless of whether they are international players, first class players, Bay of Plenty reps or club cricketers.

"It is a great team to captain because everyone in the team is passionate about the Bay and they want the Bay team to win."

The clash with Waikato Valley is the first time the two rivals have met in a two-day fixture since 2007.

Waikato Valley are the surprise package of this season's Fergus Hickey Rosebowl two-day competition. They lead by two points from Bay of Plenty with Hamilton four points further back.

This weekend's match is the fourth game in consecutive weekends for the Bay of Plenty players after two Hawke Cup defences and a Fergus Hickey game.

Bay of Plenty team v Waikato Valley
Peter Drysdale (capt), Daniel Flynn, Tom MacRury, Joe Carter, Alex Lees, Bharat Popli, Brett Hampton, Jono Boult, Sean Davey, Matt Golding, Tony Goodin, Chris Atkinson.