There is likely to be some smiles on display, when the Sri Lankan cricket team walks into their Bay Oval dressing room, before engaging with the New Zealand Black Caps on the 28th December 2024 - when they see the two Sri Lankan names on the visitor’s honours board.

Bay Oval action in November 2024 saw two Honours Board new additions courtesy of two NZC Women's Major Association Hallyburton Johnstone Shield fixtures and the start of the Bay of Plenty senior team 13 match campaign.

It was fitting that Peter Drysdale should bring up four thousand NZC Minor Association runs, at the Bay Oval, when he posted Bay of Plenty's top score of 75, against Northland on the first weekend in November 2024.

Three NZC Major Association games kicked of the Bay Oval 2024-25 representative season, when the Auckland Aces paid a weeklong visit to Mount Maunganui, at the end of October 2024.

The start of spring is an ideal time in our “Catching up With” series to chat with Bay Oval Turf Manager, Jared Carter, the man who directs the ground operations at the Bay Oval.

The last time we talked to Graeme (the former ND player and coach) he was in the middle of the Covid lockdown in 2020. In this edition of “Catching Up With” we find out what G has been up to in the last four cricket seasons.

Two Bay of Plenty cricket players who call the Bay Oval home had plenty to celebrate when the new 2014-15 Northern Districts professional player contracts were announced in mid-July.

We chat with James Pamment, a well-known name in the T20 coaching ranks around the globe. Yorkshire-born and now long-time Western Bay of Plenty resident (when he's at home), James has become a fixture with the Mumbai Indians since joining them in 2018.

This time we talk with Aaron Meek, who was a stalwart of the Mount Maunganui Cricket Club in his time in the Western Bay, and is the regular face of the Dressing Rooms at the Bay Oval when international teams stop off in the Western Bay of Plenty.

The Bay Oval's reputation as an international playing field that produces plenty of runs, while also giving bowlers the opportunity to weave their craft with bountiful results, continued in the 2023-24 season.

Bay Oval season roundup of international, major and minor domestic matches.

Catching up with Catherine Campbell, lovingly better known as Mrs Whippy.

Big crowds, balmy sunshine - and soon Tauranga cricket fans will have world-class cricket facilities to match their world-class ground.

Test series between New Zealand and South Africa will now be played for the Tangiwai Shield.

Catching up with umpire Christelle High, who has been seen in action in televised NZC Dream 11 Super Smash games this season.

The Bay Oval continued its 2023-24 major hosting assignments on the 9th and 10th of December 2023.

Bangladesh provided one of the biggest upsets in ICC test cricket the last time that they visited the Bay Oval, in January 2022.

The country's newest international ground and the traditions of the game will come together at the Bay Oval, on four occasions this summer.

The lazy hazy days of summer should bring cricket fans in their hundreds to the Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui, in the middle of the summer holiday break.

Bay Oval cricket fans, will welcome two international teams and the return of the hugely popular Black Clash to the Western Bay of Plenty Cricket ground, in the fast approaching 2023-24 cricket season.

The Bay Oval is likely to be the only international cricket ground in the country, where genuine grassroots players have the opportunity of playing on a world class wicket, once a season.

Big numbers again took centre stage at the Bay Oval, when Northern Districts hosted Central Districts in a time-honored NZC Plunket Shield match.

Bay of Plenty cricket fans can’t wait for England to make their third appearance at the Bay Oval, when they arrive to go into a head to head battle with their Black Cap counterparts, in the fourth test match to be staged at the Western Bay of Plenty international cricket venue.

A Bay of Plenty batsman, who has belted five centuries at the Bay Oval, has become the first Bay player to score over four thousand runs for his province.

Northern Districts Women’s opening batter Caitlin Gurrey, obliterated the highest score by a women’s player at the Bay Oval, just a week before Christmas 2022.

Welcome back to HOT SHOTS @ the BAY OVAL which is a column that looks back at the Black Caps and White Ferns at the Bay Oval, as we head into the business end of the 2022-23 season.