Castle was quick to acknowledge others’ efforts to facilitate play.
“Full credit to Recreational Services’ Rowan Clark, whose guidance aided us in working together, to make it happen,” Castle said.
“Thank you to the skippers who put their trust in me, and allowed some flexibility to play a 30-over game with a late start. That’s the character of this cricket community coming through and it makes for a great start to what promises to be an exciting season ahead.”
On good-quality grass wickets at the Harry Barker Reserve, Bollywood High School Old Boys strode to victory by 94 runs against the Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11 and Coastal Concrete Old Boys’ Rugby beat Siteworx Civil Horouta by seven wickets in the Premier Grade Doleman Cup competition.
GBHS captain Nathan Trowell won the toss, chose to bowl, then led by example in line and length on HBR 2, taking 3-31 off five overs.
Off-spinner Daniel Stewart (3-26) and spearhead Josiah Turner (2-33) bowled their full complement of overs economically but High School Old Boys’ Carl Shaw — like Trowell, a second-year skipper — could be well pleased with his team’s batting effort, first knock up . . . 182-9 in 30 overs constitutes a good start to the season. Dave Castle (44), Sean Wills (41) and Shaw (38) grafted when they had to, and dealt with the bad ball appropriately.
In the Boys’ High innings, former Ngatapa seamer Angus Orsler (3-15 off six overs) was excellent value. He had both Boys’ High opening batsmen and the gritty Graham Sharpe dismissed, and GBHS were 14-3 after seven overs. Turner, with 18 from No.6, was the younger team’s top-scorer. Stewart and Travis O’Rourke both made 12. Eight batsmen did not pass double-figures.
HSOB left-armer Daniel Torrie (2-9 off three overs) and his fellow medium-pacer Jagroop Singh (2-14 off six) offered some bowling variety. A quickfire, one-over cameo from Scott Tallott to end the game, with Gisborne Boys’ at 88-9, served as a reminder of the days when Clarrie Grimmett could get through eight balls in three minutes.
Paul Stewart has long been a tidy bowler.
And the former GBHS first 11 captain cut deep into Siteworx Civil Horouta to the tune of 4-21 off six overs in the first innings, after the Waka’s David Situ had won the toss and opted to bat.
Horouta were bowled out for 96 in 28.2 overs, despite a plucky knock from opener Ben Brick (33) and an innings of application by Bruno Judd — 23 off 52 balls from No.6.
OBR skipper and left-arm orthodox spinner Nick Greeks turned the ball, on occasion sharply, in taking 1-18 off six overs. In the absence of magical leggie Jonny Purcell, it is good to see spin feature prominently in OBR’s bowling attack, known more for its steady medium-pace.
When OBR’s run-chase began, Jack Faulkner — a capable all-round cricketer — came back to local club cricket from university with a bang (25 off 20) at the top of the order. An old head in former Poverty Bay player-coach Ian Loffler saw them home with an unbeaten 23, with Paul Stewart on seven not out.
Aekamajot Singh, with 1-14 off four overs, was the pick of Horouta’s bowling attack.
