Rampant Coastlands put PB to the sword

Poverty Bay’s Alex Shanks and Bekko Page on the attack in their twenty20 game against Bay of Plenty Coastlands on Day 4 of the Emerging Rangatahi Northern Districts under-19 cricket tournament being held at Harry Barker Reserve. Shanks went on to make 49 off 44 in the afternoon T20 game against BoP Lakelands, who comfortably reached their target of 116 for the loss of two wickets. Pictures by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay had their moments but suffered defeats in a Bay of Plenty double at the Emerging Rangatahi Northern Districts under-19 tournament here yesterday.

The PB bowlers were put to the sword by a rampant BoP Coastlands side at Harry Barker Reserve in a twenty20 game in the morning.

Coastlands racked up 225  for the loss of three wickets, led by a blistering 77 off 45 balls by No.4 batsman Jamie Coombe. He flayed eight sixes and three fours.

The middle of Gus Tustin’s bat also found the ball as he smashed 73 off 53, including eight fours and two sixes, in a 146-run partnership with Coombes.

Bekko Page was the only PB bowler not to cop it as he picked up 1-21 off his four overs.

Page also led the PB reply with 33 off 30 — highlighted by five fours and a six.

Opening batsman Nathaniel Fearnley made 24 off 36, Alex Shanks 18 off 17 and Taye McGuinness an unbeaten runa-a-ball 15 in his first bat for the u19 side after captaining the PB u17 team at their ND tournament last week in Hamilton.

PB  reached 116-7 in their 20 overs to lose by 109 runs.

Shanks fell just short of a half-century in PB’s afternoon T20 against BoP Lakelands. He scored 49 off 44 balls, including seven fours and a six, at first drop.

Page, promoted to opener, compiled 23 off 27 as his side reached 115-6 batting first.

Lakelands reached their target in the 17th over for the loss of two wickets. Opener Sean Gapes made 50 not out and Riley Kusabs 44 off 30 balls.

Fearnley picked up both wickets.

The tournament ends today with two rounds of T20 games. PB play Northland this morning and Counties Manukau in the afternoon.