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BOP Players earn ND Contracts

One of the measures of success of the Bay of Plenty Cricket pathway, is the number of Bay of Plenty representative players that have gone on to earn professional cricket contracts.

Next season (2015-16) Jono Boult, Joe Carter, Daniel Flynn, Brett Hampton and Bharat Popli who have all advanced along the Bay Cricket pathway, will again play for the Northern Knights. In addition 2014/15 Black Cap Dean Brownlie who lives in the Western Bay of Plenty and is registered to the Mount Maunganui CC, has also been offered a ND contract.

Jono Boult who made his debut for Bay of Plenty in the 2003-04 season, has played a big part in Bay of Plenty winning the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl, five times in the last decade. The talented all-rounder, who has played 62 games in the Blue and Gold uniform, sits in fourth place on the all-time Bay of Plenty appearances list.

The former Bay of Plenty skipper, has smashed 1823 runs for Bay of Plenty with a highest score of 107no. His genuine all-round capabilities are shown with his 104 wickets, to become just the sixth Bay of Plenty bowler to take 100 wickets for the province, with best bowling figures of 6/30.

Joe Carter, holds the record for the highest Bay of Plenty batting total, with 215no in a Fergus Hickey match against Poverty Bay in the 2013/14 season. Carter became the first Bay batsman to blast past the magical 200 run mark. The Bay master blaster, who likes nothing better than to launch the ball over the boundary ropes, finished last season with 1649 runs to his name from just 37 games in the Bay of Plenty uniform.

Another young Bay of Plenty batsman to really make his mark, is another of the myriad of graduates from the Tauranga Boys College cricket program. Bharat Popli made Bay of Plenty Cricket history, when he posted 103no against Poverty Bay last season, which set a new Bay record for the most centuries by a Bay of Plenty batsman. His seven tons are three ahead of Mike Wright, Richard Shrimpton and Mathew Hart. Bharat sits in third place on the all-time list with a remarkable 2491 runs in just six seasons.

While Daniel Flynn has played just 19 matches for Bay of Plenty, due to his Black Cap and Northern Knights commitments, he has posted 541 runs with a highest score of 119. Known to all as Flynny, the batting craftsman has been dynamic form with the willow for ND since his debut a decade ago and he has been rewarded in recent seasons with the Northern Knights skipper’s role.

There are few Bay of Plenty players over the years that can inflict as much damage with both bat and ball, than Brett Hampton. A late starter who only picked up a bat while at Tauranga Boys College, Hammer has made serious inroads into the Bay of Plenty record books in recent seasons. Hampton’s highest score came when Bay of Plenty relieved Hamilton of the Hawke Cup two years ago, when he smashed 194 runs. Hammer’s Bay statistics show that he has posted 1629 runs in 49 games and taken 77 wickets with best bowling figures of 7/60.

Current Black Cap skipper (Zimbabwe and South Africa tour) Kane Williamson along with Trent Boult and Corey Anderson, have NZ Cricket contracts and are eligible for Knights selection when National commitments allow.

2015-16 (Bay of Plenty) Northern Knights
Jono Boult (Otumoetai Cadets) Dean Brownlie (Mount Maunganui) Joe Carter (Otumoetai Cadets) Daniel Flynn (Mount Maunganui) Brett Hampton (Greerton) Bharat Popli (Bay of Plenty Indians)