A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Ngatapa are a good side but OBR are close to unbeatable.
The latter won all eight 30-over games played in the Senior B club cricket competition for the Hope Cup before Christmas, while the former had won five from eight.
The six-team race resumes tomorrow at Harry Barker Reserve.
Rawhiti Legal Old Boys Rugby (24 points) face Siteworx Horouta (12) , Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps (15) meet Gisborne Boys’ High School (0) and Campion College (9) play Bollywood High School Old Boys Presidents (12).
■ The Craig Christophers-led OBR are fizzing in anticipation of their clash with Mel Knight’s Horouta crew.
“Horouta’s stars include left-arm orthodox spinner Clarence Campbell — the third-highest wicket-taker in the B-grade since the advent of Cric HQ — and New Zealand under-19 age group rep Kayley Knight,” said Christophers, who has made three half-centuries in six appearances to date this season.
“For us, Rongomai Smith and Mana Taumaunu have been hitting the ball powerfully in the nets. I expect them to bring that into the game against Horouta and Lloyd van Zyl has been heard growling as he is runs in to bowl. We’ll be expecting that aggression tomorrow.”
Van Zyl is a slippery customer in terms of pace, arguably the quickest bowler in the Hope Cup, and OBR have a balanced attack.
Left-armer seamers George Reynolds and Jannie Jacobs’ different trajectories and lines, and the improvement of Taumaunu as a leg-spinner bode well for the club.
Horouta’s Greg Taylor would be a solid choice to open the batting for The Waka. His experience and calmness at the crease is matched in terms of value only by Knight senior’s game sense.
Those two, perhaps better than anyone else in the line-up, are technically equipped to cope with van Zyl’s bounce.
While their regular wicketkeeper Rubi Perano — one of three Northern Districts u19 female players (Kayley Perano, Knight and Grace Levy) on the roster — is not in the 12, Horouta have a keen replacement glovesman in Bhavnagar, India-born Bhushan Dave.
Knight senior said: “It’s as good a time as any to play the top-of-the-table team. We’re all feeling good, excited to get back into cricket after the summer break.”
■ Despite seven players being unavailable tomorrow and having defaulted to Campion College in their round 8 clash before the break, GBHS second 11 will field a side against Ngatapa.
Poverty Bay Cricket Association chair Isaac Hughes has transferred to GBHS from HSOB Presidents and the students can also call on the services of Nathaniel Fearnley (King’s College), Peter Reynolds (Wanganui Collegiate) and Dylan Torrie (Napier BHS).
GBHS regulars Daniel Watts, Adam Situ and Bekko Page have shown improvement as medium-pacers while leg-spinner Dylan Foster has grown as a captain.
“People may still be away and we’ll no doubt be a tad rusty, but as the youngest team in the competition, any chance we get to play, we’re always keen,” said Foster.
Ngatapa have depth in all departments. Left-handed Richard Briant is an influential player and captain Mike Gibson is an intelligent seam bowler.
Ngatapa’s organisation and team spirit is top-notch and their sporting culture is a significant factor in their success.
Grant Walsh does the same type of job for the Green Caps as Craig Christophers does for OBR. Walsh is glue. He helps hold his team together.
“The boys in the GBHS first 11 who are doing well now made their way through the Hope Cup, which is really a huge part of club cricket, so we’re looking forward to it,” said Gibson.
■ HSOB Presidents won one more game than Campion College before the break.
But Campion’s three pre-Christmas scalps included a brilliant four-wicket upset win against Ngatapa in round 7.
On that memorable occasion, Campion chased down Ngatapa’s 179 all-out in 28 overs with four wickets in hand.
Campion’s titan, left-hander Darryl Dunn, made an unbeaten 88 and player-coach Mark Naden, coming in at No.9, was 39 not out at the end.
The College will need a batting effort of that magnitude to push HSOB tomorrow.
Presidents’ game-day skipper Jeff Chambers blasted 113 not out off 67 balls from No.4 v Boys’ High in round 5 and with Glen Udall again on deck their batting will be at close to full strength.
Naden is under no illusions about the task ahead but knows too that the future is bright for Campion cricket-wise.
Liam Spring will again lead the side. In the first meeting of the season between the teams, he made a superb, undefeated 65 from 84 balls, including eight boundaries.
In that game, Blake Marshall took two wickets for 16 runs in six very good and decidedly sharp overs.
Campion are no one-trick pony with the ball but he is undoubtedly the spearhead.
“We have keen youngsters coming into the team, which bodes well for the future,” said Naden. “Mike Lockwood will make his debut for us tomorrow.”
HSOBP captain Ollie Needham and his outfit are raring to go.
“We’ve trained twice this week with good numbers and the boys are keen to celebrate Glen’s birthday on Saturday with a win.”