Campion College bowls first ball in opener

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Campion College have led off the cricket season in Poverty Bay.

The Mark Naden-coached side were the first local team to bowl a ball in anger this summer with their participation in the Hawke’s Bay Year 11-13 boys’ grade at the weekend.

With the 45-over game against Hutt International Boys’ School at Marewa Park abandoned because of bad weather, Campion first took the field on Sunday.

They lost Game 2, a 50-over match, to the Wellington College Invitational Black team by 79 runs at Lindisfarne College.

Black’s Will Crombie won the toss and chose to bat, the Wellingtonians then putting up 211-9.

Crombie’s co-captain Edward Fell made their top score of 71 not out from No.7.

Fourth drop Matthew Stitt was the other key contributor with 41 from

72 balls.

Campion had their opposition in check at 67-5 but Stitt and Fell shared the biggest partnership of the match, 46, for the sixth wicket.

Opening bowler Connor Starck (3-42) and skipper Hamish Swann (2-26), in at second change, both got through 10 overs, with first-change swing merchant Taye McGuinness (2-39 from seven overs) also to the fore.

Budding all-rounder McGuinness backed up his bowling effort with a knock of 37 from No.2 in the run chase. He and Swann (14) got Campion off to a good start with 34 at the top of the order, McGuinness and Starck (19) then advancing the total to 81 before McGuinness was dismissed.

Pace-bowling spearhead Rhys Grogan and wicketkeeper Daniel Baillie both made 10 from No.4 and No.5 respectively.

They were the last Campion batsmen to reach double figures as the college were all out for 132 in 25 overs.

Opening bowlers Fell (1-9 from six overs) and Samuel Dowell (2-9 from four) were tidy, although George Schaefer (2-15 from five) and Jack Park (2-4 from three) were just as effective.

Long-serving Campion coach Naden said: “I’m very proud of our boys — they learned a lot about the longer format of the game, fitness and how to stay in the fight. Our senior players did an awesome job of looking after the juniors in the side.

“Taye McGuinness took two great catches in a tough loss to Hutt Valley High School at Windsor Park in Hastings on Monday. Rhys Grogan, Connor Starck, Hamish Swann and Ramandeep Singh were all outstanding with the ball and Gagandeep Singh took a rip-snorter of a catch.

“Dan Baillie did a fine job with the gloves, Anikate Bhandral stopped a bullet in the field against Hutt Valley and our three South African boys — Jahnu Gouws and twins Jaco and Nelis Du Preez — were excellent value as well.”