Kamo Intermediate School ended Day 2 of the ActivePost Cup with a narrow loss to Hereworth School.
KIS is representing Northern Districts at the ActivePost Cup a national Twenty 20 tournament in Palmerston North which features six primary/intermediate schools from each of the country's cricket districts.
Batting second, KIS reached 87 for 5 off 20 overs, just unable to scrape past Hereworth's 88/7 .
For KIS, the Gordon brothers Alex (16 off 17 balls) and Cam (23 off 20) attacked the Hereworth bowling, with the innings anchored by a steady 26 from Cale Pooley.
Pace bowler Max Turner (3-19) was the pick of the Kamo bowlers, picking up his third wicket via an unusual stumping from captain and keeper Luke
Trigg who threw down the stumps after Turner had "bounced" an advancing batter. Turner ended Day 2 as the tournament's top wicket taker with 6 at an economy rate of 3.8 runs per over, and was also KIS's top overall run scorer with 51.
KIS had restricted Hereworth (Central Districts) to 88 with a much improved fielding effort after a loss earlier in the day to tournament favourites Kings Prep (Auckland).
That match saw Kings Prep total 127-3 on a fresh grass wicket, with Oliver White top scoring with 69 no.
KIS bowlers struggled with their accuracy into a 30-knot plus headwind at Ongley Park
Kamo's batters started their run chase with good intent but were restricted by a tight bowling effort from Kings, who handled the windy conditions slightly better than Kamo.
Kamo were bowled out for 96, with Turner top scoring with 37 off 31 balls.
KIS had ended the tournament's first day unbeaten after sharing points with Medbury School (Canterbury), after game was abandoned due to heavy overnight rain.
In their second game on Day One, KIS beat Balmacewan Intermediate School (Otago).
On Friday, KIS plays Hutt International Boys School (Wellington). Hereworth, Kings Prep, Medbury School (Canterbury), and Hutt International Boys School (Wellington) are tied at the top of the tournament table with 5 points, followed by KIS (3) and Balmacewan (1).
Warren Marr, tournament coach for KIS, said it had been a great learning experience for the young Kamo cricketers had turned in an excellent Day One performance.
" Day 2 proved a little more difficult in windy and cold conditions and with the top order not firing there was pressure created on the middle and lower order. To the lads' immense credit they never gave up and pushed Hereworth within one run in a very exciting run chase.
"They can be very proud of the way they have competed aginst the best schools in the country, and it shows the depth that Northland cricket has within its schools and junior cricket as a whole."