The Bay of Plenty representative cricket team kept its Fergus Hickey Rosebowl aspirations alive when they easily defeated Waikato Valley in a one-day encounter at Bay Oval.

Needing maximum points from the match to remain in contention for the symbol of Northern Districts minor association cricket supremacy, the Bay team bowled first.

Only a defiant knock of 57 runs from Daryl Mitchell, who made his Northern Knights debut earlier in the season, gave the visitors some respectability.

In a rare appearance for Bay of Plenty, Black Cap Trent Boult ripped through the Waikato Valley batsmen taking four wickets, with Tony Goodin returning 3/21 as the visitors were removed for 118.

In the eighth over, Boult was sitting on a hat trick after two successive wickets.

The Bay of Plenty opening pair of Joe Carter and Peter Drysdale ensured an easy victory, putting together a partnership of 114.

Carter was out with the first ball of the 27^th over for 51, with Drysdale there at the end finishing with an unbeaten 51 runs.

With two games remaining, before the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl is decided for the current season, the Bay team will have home ground advantage in both encounters.

The last weekend in February will see the Bay face Poverty Bay in a two-day match, before backing up the following weekend against longtime rival Hamilton.

Fergus Hickey Rosebowl Result

Waikato 118 (Daryl Mitchell 57; Trent Boult 4/34, Tony Goodin 3/21) lost to BOP 119/1 (Peter Drysdale 51no, Joe Carter 51)