DANGER MAN: Craig Christophers is among the players returning for OBR against Pirates tomorrow. Picture by Liam Clayton
Old Boys Rugby will have more firepower in what shapes up as a defining clash against Pirates in local cricket’s DJ Barry Cup tomorrow.
OBR are second on the ladder, on 16 points, and Pirates are third (11 points) ahead of the third round of the six-round competition, and both sides are keen to produce better performances before the finals.
Tomorrow will be a stern test for Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates because Bain Construction OBR, missing several players last week due to a wedding and fishing competitions, should be close to firing on all cylinders.
Last week’s captain for OBR, Ian Loffler, said regular skipper Jonathan Purcell and a few others would return for tomorrow’s fixture at Harry Barker Reserve.
“We will welcome back some key players in Craig Christophers and Kieran Venema to the batting line-up, which will add vital experience,” Loffler said.
“Our last two batting performances haven’t been that sharp and this hasn’t allowed us to dictate the game, so our top four batters need to lay a platform for us to kick on to a big total.
“Pirates look strong on paper but probably haven’t been as consistent as they would like.
“We always expect a tough game against Pirates and in Matt Crampton and Dane Thompson they have two of the district’s best all-rounders.”
Thompson, the Pirates captain, said his team had a point to prove and needed to make a statement this weekend.
They got off to a strong start with the bat against Bollywood Stars High School Old Boys last Saturday, but let that slip, and the bowling was patchy.
The team should be better for having had a hit-out and needed to get it right with the ball more consistently, Thompson said.
Daniel Torrie had gone back to Ireland and Peter Stewart and Andrew Ashton would return to the side.
Vice-captain Brad Reynolds will play despite dislocating a finger during fielding practice on Tuesday.
He turned up at the nets on Thursday wearing a protective splint and surprised teammates by saying he was available for the OBR match.
“There is no way I’m missing it . . . Pirates is in the blood,’’ said Reynolds, the sixth member of his family to play for the club dating back to grandfather Allan Nairne.
Top-of-the-table High School Old Boys will play bottom-placed Gisborne Boys’ High School.
High School Old Boys captain Scott Tallott said his team could not afford to be complacent.
“It’s a game we should win,” he said, but he added that High School Old Boys would not take their opponents lightly.
“We have to keep the focus up, keep the momentum going.”
High School Old Boys had a convincing win against Pirates last weekend, although kinks included a mini-collapse during the batting.
Boys’ High are coming off a creditable performance against OBR, where the bowlers and batting line-up stuck to the task, nearly forcing a draw.
“It was good to see them put up a fight,” Tallott said.
One thing Boys’ High will be is match-hardened.
Nearly everyone in the team for Saturday played in the Super 8 secondary schools’ tournament in Tauranga this week. They played 50-over matches each day from Monday to yesterday, although they struggled to post competitive scores.
Boys’ High captain Paul Stewart said the team talked a lot about patience. They were striving to bat for longer periods of time.
His younger brother Daniel Stewart is one player who has been doing just that. He scored four runs off 47 balls, six off 55 balls, two off 43 and five off 17 in the Super 8, to go with his three off 33 against OBR last Saturday.
Player-coach Josiah Turner was not at the schools’ tournament and will rejoin his teammates tomorrow.
In the Hope Cup, Ngatapa will take on Campion College and OBR’s second 11 play Coastal Ultrasound Horouta. Bollywood Stars High School Old Boys Presidents have a bye.
The T15 competition will also continue tonight.