Hawke Cup Challenge: Bay of Plenty v Southland at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 10-12 March 2017
DAY THREE
The Tasman Tempest has ensured that Bay of Plenty will lock away the Hawke Cup at Bay Oval for the 2017 winter.
Day three's early start was again cancelled out by a ground delay, but a brief interim of play was eventually possible before the heavens opened. It was enough time for 25 runs for Bay of Plenty at the cost of two quick wickets for Southland, including that of the hard hitter Brett Hampton.
Hampton was a second wicket for sharp young right-arm paceman Bailey Andrews-Kennedy, who had literally had a hand in two of the other dismissals, taking two catches to go with his 2-35 off nine overs. Senior paceman Jason Osborne had claimed 2-21 off 7.1 before rain stopped play at 95/5, Bay of Plenty trailing by 152 with Jono Boult and Sean Davey both new at the crease.
Lunch was taken and eventually play was able to restart, Boult and Davey extending their partnership to 62 when rain once again stopped play after half a session, Southland's lead having been cut to 90.
No further play was possible, the match declared a draw. Bay of Plenty became the first side to retain the Hawke Cup through a season since Zone 1 compatriots Hamilton who defeated Counties Manukau, Wairarapa, Nelson and Southland on the bounce, before Bay of Plenty stopped their run in the first challenge of the 2012/13 season.
Bay of Plenty has now kept the historic silverware in their possession since 13 March 2016, when they overcame Hawke’s Bay in Napier in the final challenge of the 2015/16 season. The next defence will be against next season's Zone One regional winner in 2017/18.
DAY TWO
Rain delayed play until after 2pm and, when the action eventually resumed, it saw Southland wickets quickly clatter.
Both incumbent batsmen were lost in the first hour, the sixth-wicket stand broken on 84 when Brett Hampton had teenage debutant Jack Mockford caught after a gritty 22.
Allrounder Hampton would quickly add Kurt Thomson to his haul before Sean Davey dislodged southern stalwart Jason Domigan on 82 after he hit the wicket.
Fourteen overs later, Southland was all out, veteran Bay spinner Jono Boult finishing with 3-44 and 257 the imminent total Bay of Plenty needed to surmount in order to cling on to the Cup for the winter.
However, these were by now bowler-friendly conditions and by stumps the Bay was 70 for three, three of their top four cheaply back in the pavilion. Captain and opener Pete Drysdale was still there on 28*, joined by Hampton on 11 with his side trailing by 177 runs heading into the final day.
DAY ONE
Bay of Plenty’s captain Peter Drysdale entered his 80th match for his province on day one at Bay Oval, making him the third-most capped cricketer in BOP history.
That wasn’t enough to win him the toss, however, as Southland’s Shaun Fitzgibbon called correctly and elected to bat.
With a monster rainstorm sweeping across the upper North Island, that play began at all after Southland had travelled all this way from the sunny South was a blessing, and 76 overs were possible before bad light ended play.
Unfortunately for the challengers, they were five down by that time — at drinks in the last session. However, an unbeaten 73 from number five Jason Domigan has got them through to 187 overnight, after he had built an unbroken 74-run stand for the sixth wicket with young Jack Mockford.
Northern Districts spinner Jono Boult had been the most successful of the Bay of Plenty attack, picking up 2-40 including the prime wicket of Fitzgibbon.
Scorecard
Bay of Plenty Cricket All-Time Appearances
105 Derek Beard 1980/81 – 1994/95 (14 seasons)
102 Michael Wright 1966/67 – 1991/92 (25 seasons)
79 Grant Manners 1987/88 – 2000/01 (13 seasons)
79 Pete Drysdale 2009/10 – 2016/17 (8 seasons)
