The Bay of Plenty representative cricket team began their campaign to retain the Hawke Cup in two one-day 'Friendly” encounters, at the Tauranga Domain, on Saturday and today Sunday.

While the two matches are non-competition games with caps not awarded, there is sure to be bragging rights on the line, after Bay of Plenty relieved Hawkes Bay of the Hawke Cup in the last challenge of last season.

Bay of Plenty won the NZ Cricket Minor Association prize for the fifth time, after defeating Hawkes Bay in a Hawke Cup Direct Challenge, at Nelson Park in Napier 11/13 March 2016. The match was an absolute thriller, with Hawkes Bay setting Bay of Plenty a target of 205, on the afternoon of day three. Led by a Ben Musgrave century, the Bay got home to bring the Hawke Cup back to the Bay of Plenty

On Saturday, the two sides will met in a 106 over red ball match and are backing it up today with a 50 over per side white ball encounter.

The Bay of Plenty selectors have gone for a myriad of experience, coupled with a number of promising youngsters still eligible for ND age-group tournament cricket. Northern Knights Jono Boult and Brett Hampton, know all about pressure cricket and have both racked up over fifty games in the Bay of Plenty uniform. Saturday skipper Peter Drysdale and keeper Tim Clarke are two others to earn the Bay baggy cap embroidered with the number fifty.

The Hawkes Bay players will know all about Ben Musgrave who smashed 102 runs against them in the Hawke Cup Direct Challenge in March. Brenton Thompson is a new face in Baywide cricket and made a real impression for Mount Maunganui in their first Baywide Cup match in October.

Luke Tatley and Gurwinder Singh, both made their Bay of Plenty Development debuts last season, with Saturdays match another step up for the talented youngsters. Sean Dykes, Jonty Grigson and Alastair Blackett have all made their mark in Baywide premier cricket in the last twelve months, with Iman Singh who still attends Tauranga Boys College another young rising star.

Bay of Plenty v Hawkes Bay Warm-Up Matches @ Tauranga Domain 22/23 October – 10.30am start

Bay of Plenty Teams

Saturday (22 October) Peter Drysdale (C) Sean Davey, Ben Musgrave, Jono Boult, Brett Hampton, Stephen Crossan, Tim Clarke, Donavan Deeble, Campbell Thomas, Luke Tatley, Gurwinder Singh, Kyle Dovey.

Sunday (23 October) Tim Clarke (C) Sean Dykes, Cameron Neal, Brenton Thompson, Jonty Grigson, Jono Boult, Brett Hampton, Matt Golding, Alastair Blackett, Donovan Deeble, Brody Gilroy, Iman Singh.

At the Bay Oval on Saturday, Wellington Firebirds v Auckland Aces at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, the Auckland Aces were dismissed for 269 in the final session, Michael Guptill-Bunce (50) top-scoring despite hitting the ball painfully into his ankle in the 11th over.

Tea was taken early after light rain twice interrupted the middle session. The Firebirds' playing XI entered the match with a combined 1,051 first-class caps. By stumps, the Firebirds were 18/2 in reply, trailing by 226. Hamish Marshall and Hamish Bennett made their Wellington debuts.

Dane Hutchinson (48) made his Auckland debut and put on 70 for the 10th wicket with Lockie Ferguson (33*) — 27 runs short of the longstanding Auckland 10th wicket record v Wellington