Cricket: Bay of Plenty look to bounce back after losing Hawke Cup to Counties Manukau

Bay of Plenty batsman Jono Boult in action during last year's Fergus Hickey Rosebowl. Photo / File

The Bay of Plenty cricket team have had little time to dwell on the heartbreaking two-run loss of the Hawke Cup to Counties Manukau last weekend.

Todayand tomorrow,the Bay boys square up against Counties Manukau again in a Northern Districts Fergus Hickey Rosebowl two-day encounter at Weymouth Oval in Manurewa.

Bay of Plenty coach Charles Williams said: "While the loss of the Hawke Cup hurts, the team's performance on day three, particularly from our seam bowlers, showed the character of our current squad. It was obviously disappointing in losing the Hawke Cup, however there was immense pride in what the team was almost able to achieve."

Bay of Plenty held the Hawke Cup for 687 days, after winning the New Zealand Cricket minor association prize from Hawke's Bay in March 2016. The Bay team then repelled all four Hawke Cup Challenges last season before the agony of falling two runs short on Monday.

"We all know what needs to be done to get us a shot at the Hawke Cup next season and it starts with beating Counties on their own turf this weekend," Williams said.

The Bay of Plenty team to play Counties is the same 11 that played in the Hawke Cup match last weekend with the addition of all-rounder Donavan Deeble.

Bay of Plenty Team to play Counties Manukau in the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl (games played in brackets)
Peter Drysdale – captain (87), Tom MacRury (53), Bharat Popli (70), Joe Carter (54), Sean Davey (44), Jono Boult (78), Ben Musgrave (37), Tim Clarke (75), Tim Pringle (7), Tommy Clout (32), Donavan Deeble (17), Chris Atkinson (10).
Coach: Charles Williams. Assistant coach: Russell Williams.