‘Best ground in ND for tournament cricket’

Poverty Bay opener Te-Reimana Gray opens the shoulders against Hamilton in a 50-overs match on Day 2 of the Emerging Rangatahi Northern Districts under-19 tournament at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday. Gray followed up his 29 off 32 balls in Round 1 against ND Invitational with 22 yesterday in an eight-wicket loss to a powerful Hamilton side who beat Bay of Plenty Lakelands by 197 runs on the opening day. Picture by Paul Rickard

Zac Corban is a big fan of Poverty Bay cricket.

Corban has great memories of playing — and now coaching — the Hamilton team at the Emerging Rangatahi Northern Districts under-19 tournament being held at Harry Barker Reserve this week.

Poverty Bay are playing Waikato Valley in a Round 3 third 50-over match today.

Corban, whose outfit beat the Bay by eight wickets yesterday, said despite the wet weather in Gisborne over the previous two months, faith in the quality of the pitches and outfields had been rewarded.

"This is the best ground in ND for tournament cricket and in the next three days, they're going to be at their best for batting," Corban said.

"The standard of cricket has gotten better every year I've been coaching, and I've been coaching the Hamilton side here for three years.

“I played here for three years. It's been great to be back here in a different role."

Poverty Bay captain Bekko Page won the toss yesterday morning, chose to bat and his side posted 103 in 40.5 overs.

First-drop Alex Shanks led their run-scorers with 31 and left-handed opener Te-Reimana Gray made 22 against an excellent bowling attack.

From their opening bowlers — left-armer Nick Penfold (1-26 in seven overs) and Chris Plank (4-15 off 7.5 overs) — to leg-spinner Bakhtullah Kharwin (1-25) to off-spinners Liam Hayman (4-18) and Anish Rana (0-7 off four), the visitors gave Poverty Bay little to hit, and their fielding was excellent.

Both teams benefited from the high umpiring standard of Lyall Coleman.

His judgement extended to a brilliant not-out decision on an appeal for caught behind.

A woody sound made and heard by the players was from the ball hitting the outside of the off stump, not the outside edge of Shanks’ bat, before it was caught by Hamilton gloveman Sam Ferrar off Hayman.

Such a call is rare. The most famous instance involved England opener Herbert Sutcliffe, Australian leg spinner "Tiger" Bill O'Reilly and umpiring immortal Frank Chester for a caught behind appeal turned down. Upon closer inspection, a red mark on the off stump proved the ball had hit the stump, not the edge of the bat.

Poverty Bay fought hard in the field.

Page and other senior players, such as Shanks and Jarrod Ormiston, made full-length diving stops.

The hosts saved every run they could for as long as they could and took two excellent scalps.

Ferrar (3) was caught by wicketkeeper Taye McGuinness off the bowling of spearhead Page (1-19 off four).

Ferrar’s fellow opener Aman Awasthi (23) was also caught by McGuinness off Connor Starck (1-23 off six).

Hard-hitting second-drop Liam Hayman  hit two sixes and six fours in his unbeaten 49 off only 24 balls.

No.3 Angus Reeves (21 not out) got the winning runs from two overthrows on a single for three runs in the 18th over.

Poverty Bay lost to the Northern Districts Invitational side in their opening game on Monday.

Invitational made 231-8 in 45 overs after some ground issues, then dismissed the home side for 129 in the 36th over.

In other games today, Bay of Plenty Coastlands play Bay of Plenty Lakelands, Northland play the Invitational team and Hamilton play Counties-Manukau.