MAN OF THE MOMENT: Jimmy Holden took a six-wicket bag for OBR, who won the DJ Barry Cup on Saturday. File picture by Paul Rickard
CRICKET
HIGH School Old Boys remain the team to beat in Poverty Bay cricket’s DJ Barry Cup after a tight win against Gisborne Boys’ High School, but Old Boys Rugby are snapping at their heels.
Pirates drifted off the pace on Saturday but they are still in contention for the title if they can produce an emphatic performance next week.
Boys’ High were one wicket away from causing an upset over competition leaders Bollywood Stars HSOB but a composed Glen Udall (36 not out) and Jagroop Singh (13 not out) got HSOB over the line.
Chasing Boys’ High’s 155 for nine declared, off 43 overs, HSOB made 158-6 off 34.5 overs.
However, HSOB fielded several players who had been playing in the Hope Cup on Saturday, so they would have been ineligible to bat.
When captain Scott Tallott was bowled for 42, Boys’ High pressed for their first win in the competition and, towards the end, one more piece of magic, like a runout, would’ve got them there.
The final stages were frenetic but the killer blow never came.
HSOB batsman Bruce Kerr said Udall’s innings was crucial and the club stalwart also pulled in a stunning catch at gully when HSOB were in the field.
Kerr said Boys’ High batted well, particularly Jacob Colbert with an unbeaten 67, although they were about 30 runs short of what they might have got.
Ajay Kumar cleaned up the tail, taking 4-39 from 12 overs.
Boys’ High — including spinner Adam Whibley (1-20 off nine overs) — bowled well, Kerr said, but Udall marshalled the tail expertly.
Udall said club spirit got them through on Saturday and the competition was still wide open.
Colbert said it was tough to begin with during his innings but batting became easier for him. He was determined to get a not-out to deny HSOB an extra bowling point.
Boys’ High captain Paul Stewart said that when Tallott’s wicket fell, he thought “We could do this”.
But little things such as dropped catches were costly.
The batting line-up also needed to provide more support for Colbert, Stewart said.
After rain in the morning, play got under way about 1.30pm at Harry Barker Reserve. One brief shower interrupted the games, but the teams got in a full day’s cricket under dark skies.
Bain Construction OBR effectively bowled out a depleted Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates team twice.
The result means OBR have surged to within striking distance of HSOB and the two teams play each other next in what is shaping up to be a crunch game.
Pirates batted first and, with nine players, declared their first innings closed at 74-7 after 23 overs.
A bright start from Baxter Mackay (16) was soon ended by the fall of his wicket and then opening partner Andrew Ashton retired hurt with a calf injury.
No.3 Matt Crampton hit 33 but no one could stay with him.
Ashton (10) returned to the crease late in the first innings but did not bat in Pirates’ second innings.
Pirates captain for the day Brad Reynolds said, even taking into account the absence of several players, 74 was well shy of what they should have posted.
OBR didn’t have everything their own way, however.
Pushing towards 150 with the bat, they were bowled out by a team fielding with eight fit players and Ashton on one leg.
Openers Carl Carmody (28) and Timoti Weir (33) had OBR off to a good start but the innings fell away.
Left-arm spinner Crampton took 4-38 off nine overs.
Batting a second time, Pirates secured a point when they made it past 100 but the innings ended shortly afterwards.
Sam Parkes scored 27 for Pirates and Sam Patterson, 43.
Ian Loffler took two wickets in one over and ended with 3-24 off eight overs.
Loffler, also standing in as captain, said Graham Hudson and Jimmy Holden bowled well for OBR.
He was happy with the team’s attitude and said they ended up getting all the points they could.
Reynolds said Pirates fought hard and did well to get themselves back in the match.
Gisborne Boys’ High School 155-9 declared off 43 overs (Jacob Colbert 67 not out, Josiah Turner 31; Ajay Kumar 4-39, Parminder Kulaar 2-32) lost to High School Old Boys 158-6 off 34.5 overs (Scott Tallott 42, Glen Udall 36 not out, Kulaar 22, Bruce Kerr 21; Te Raimana Gray 2-21, Jack Faulkner 2-42).
Pirates 74-7 declared off 23 overs (Matt Crampton 33; Matt Cook 2-9, Graham Hudson 2-30, Jimmy Holden 2-31) and 106 off 26.3 overs (Sam Patterson 43, Sam Parkes 27, Crampton 20; Ian Loffler 3-24, Holden 2-24) lost to Old Boys Rugby 146 off 27 overs (Timoti Weir 33, Carl Carmody 28, Loffler 23; Crampton 4-38, Brad Reynolds 2-47, Patterson 2-49).