Taiaroa's ton of talent surfaces | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

They threw down the gauntlet and Michael Taiaroa has replied in an emphatic fashion.

The Cornwall batsman carved up an unbeaten 104 runs for the Hawke's Bay senior men's team yesterday to etch their name on the Kirk Cup this season with a 188-run victory over Poverty Bay in Napier.

Bay coach Lincoln Doull had last week urged Taiaroa to show his class and the nuggety batsman delivered in style at the weekend to allay any fears he has lost his touch.

He made an unbeaten 108 at Ongaonga Domain for his premier club team's outright victory over Central Hawke's Bay/Dannevirke on Saturday before yesterday's ton at Nelson Park for the crushing victory.

His Bay skipper, James de Terte, added 55 runs to amass 278-4 in their innings from their 50 allotted overs.

Opener Morten Freer hit a lusty 42 runs from 25 balls while Stephen Pimm made 37 as the hosts raced to 60 off 10 overs.

In reply the visitors could only manage 90 runs to be all out in 37 overs as new-ball merchants Seb Logan and Stevie Smidt stifled Poverty Bay who raced to 40 runs from eight overs.

Napier Technical Old Boys allrounder Craig Herrick claimed three wickets on debut.

"He bowled 10 on the trot for 21 runs and changed the game for us," said de Terte in his first outing as captain. "We lost the cup last year so it was quite good to regain it and win quite comfortably," he said, claiming the Nelson Park wicket was very true.

Doull used yesterday's game as an opportunity for some players to put their hand up and they came out with flying colours.

This Sunday the Bay host Manawatu in a warm-up match.