A win apiece

GOOD CONTEST: High School Old Boys captain Carl Shaw took 3-5 against Horouta in the opening game of the season at Harry Barker Reserve this month. HSOB won the match by four wickets. The two sides play again tomorrow. Picture by Liam Clayton

High School Old Boys got their Doleman Cup cricket campaign off to a mixed start, winning one of their two games from a double-header at the weekend.

On Saturday, they had a comfortable win against Horouta in their 40-over match at Harry Barker Reserve, although Bollywood Stars HSOB lost six wickets in chasing down their opponents’ 144 for eight.

Playing on the same wicket yesterday, they were in dire straits against OBR, crumbling to 23-6 and then 39-8 before a 101-run stand for the ninth wicket between Josiah Turner (50) and Marshall Norris (47 not out) pushed the total out to 140, giving the bowlers something to defend.

Landmark Homes OBR lost just two wickets in their chase, however, with Cody Andrews hitting an unbeaten 66 and Paul Stewart an unbeaten 52, as the Doleman Cup champions cruised to victory with 6.4 overs to spare.

After the weekend’s results, all three teams in the Poverty Bay A-Grade club competition have one win and one loss.

OBR captain Jonathan Purcell said the first 15 overs won them yesterday’s game.

On a pitch offering movement but not much bounce, Andrews, Jimmy Holden and Sam Patterson had the HSOB batsmen in all sorts of trouble.

Holden took 3-18 from his eight overs, Andrews worked up some pace and took 2-17 from his eight and Patterson did an admirable job into the wind, finishing with 2-29 from eight.

It was some rescue act from No.7 Turner and No.10 Norris to get HSOB past 100 and carry them into the 35th over before the innings was wrapped up.

HSOB captain Carl Shaw said OBR put his side under real pressure early, bowling well and taking their chances in the field.

Turner and Norris were the only reason they had a chance.

“They gave us hope and we were very grateful for their gutsy batting.”

OBR were sharp in the field early but they ended up chasing a higher target than necessary because they put down catches.

Shaw said HSOB started OK in the field, getting two early wickets, but Andrews and Stewart showed how to pace a potentially awkward run chase.

Purcell said Stewart anchored the innings maturely and Andrews showed his class.

HSOB always looked in control of Saturday’s match against Horouta.

Horouta won the toss and batted first but had a scratchy start, losing two early wickets.

No.4 Keegan Martin led the recovery, scoring 54. His innings included a seemingly effortless six over midwicket, and opener Hemi Mitchell battled away for a patient 25.

Martin, who also scored 70 last week, looks easily good enough to make Lance Cairns’s Poverty Bay side, if he makes himself available.

Horouta were 100-6 after 30 overs and then did well to bat out the last 10 and post 144.

Their total was OK, given their start, and Horouta captain David Situ said the HSOB bowlers kept things tight.

Shaw finished with 3-5 from five overs and he said Turner bowled well in his opening spell and at the end, taking 1-28 off eight.

Spinner Ryan Majstrovic took 3-37 off seven.

Though he was wicketless, seamer Jagroop Singh also looked a handful and conceded 22 runs from eight overs.

HSOB opener Ajay Kumar led the run chase, scoring 54.

Matt Wotherspoon made life difficult for the HSOB batsmen towards the end, getting late movement, but they got there inside 30 overs.

Horouta captain David Situ said that after their innings with the bat, they knew they needed to take wickets to win the game.

HSOB lost a few more wickets than Shaw was comfortable with but won the game by four wickets.

Horouta 144-8 off 40 overs (Keegan Martin 54, Hemi Mitchell 25; Carl Shaw 3-5, Ryan Majstrovic 3-37) lost to High School Old Boys 146-6 off 29 overs (Ajay Kumar 54; Matt Wotherspoon 3-25).

High School Old Boys 140 off 34.4 overs (Josiah Turner 50, Marshall Norris 47 not out; Jimmy Holden 3-18, Cody Andrews 2-17, Sam Patterson 2-29, Paul Stewart 2-40) lost to OBR 144-2 off 33.2 overs (Andrews 66 not out, Stewart 52 not out; Jak Rowe 2-23).