Campion keen to set their Hope Cup record straight

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

CRICKET

CAMPION College player-coach Mark Naden says his side have an added incentive going into tomorrow’s Hope Cup cricket final against Gisborne Boys’ High School at Harry Barker Reserve.

“To make any final is an honour and last year we got there but did not perform . . . we want to address that this weekend,” said Naden, who top-scored with 70 in last week’s semifinal win against Coastal Ultrasound Horouta.

“Once again our plan is simple — one big score with others contributing 10 runs or more.

“That’s the first part; the second is to try to bowl six good deliveries in a row, and field our hearts out.

“We may have a couple of surprises up our sleeve but we’ll save those for the game.”

Last week’s win was Campion’s first of the season.

And they will go into the final as underdogs against a Boys’ High team who have players with Poverty Bay representative experience — skipper Drew Scott, Paul Stewart, Jack Faulkner and Adam Whibley

Boys’ High warmed up for tomorrow’s 40-over game with a win against Bay of Plenty qualifiers Bethlehem College in a Super Smash T20 Cup game on Wednesday.

Scott led the charge with a top score of 59 not out and will be a huge threat to Campion tomorrow.

Matt McNeil backed up his skipper with 28 off 20 balls while Whibley took two wickets.

Jacob Colbert took three wickets and Travis Mitchell collected a brace.

“They are a strong side but one thing I love about our boys is they always have each other’s back no matter what happens and I know they’ll give everything they have tomorrow,” Naden said.

Year 9 leg-spinner Liam Barbier was the star of the show against Horouta, bagging five wickets for eight runs off 3.1 overs.

Max Briant (1-27 off five) was economical and and Edward Fili-Weti chipped in with two wickets.