Captain delivers as HSOB roll on

ALL-ROUND EFFORT NOT ENOUGH: Matt Crampton, pictured in T15 Blast action on Friday in front of umpire Tony Lee, took four wickets and scored 36 runs for Pirates in Doleman Cup action on Saturday. But it wasn’t enough as OBR won by 19 runs. Pictures by Liam Clayton

It was glorious.

Bollywood High School Old Boys’ captain Scott Tallott stroked and crunched 84 runs off 73 balls in his side’s fourth-straight Doleman Cup win on Saturday — a 129-run victory over Gisborne Boys’ High School.

“It wasn’t always easy out there,” Tallott admitted as HSOB maintained prime place at the top of the standings.

“Joe Turner bowled consistently and asked questions of Glen Udall, Jak Rowe, Bruce Kerr and myself,” said 22 year-old Tallott of the Harry Barker Reserve clash in which Boys’ High bowled HSOB out for 190 in 38.5 overs of the 40-over clash.

GBHS player-coach Turner (2-23 off seven overs), fellow seamer Paul Stewart (3-37 off 7.5) and off-spinner Ben McNeil (3-22 off 5) all kept the ball up to the bat.

The departure of Kerr for 22 from 24 balls had HSOB at 3-50 three balls into the 10th over.

Ajay Kumar joined Tallott in a 95-run partnership, his 31 off 53 proving a solid and vital knock.

Kumar fell to Travis Mitchell (1-37 off 7) as Boys’ High fought back to claim the last six wickets for 45 runs when the fourth-wicket partnership had portended a total of 200-plus.

Jagroop Singh (5-39 off 8), Marshall Norris (2-1), Inder Singh (2-16) and leg-spinner Parminder Kulaar (1 for 4) combined to dismiss Boys’ High for 61 in 18.1.

Seven players scored three or fewer runs individually.

Jagroop Singh’s movement of the ball back into right-handed batsmen and the extra pace of Inder Singh made it tough for a GBHS team without captain Drew Scott.

Ben Bristow, in his debut season at club level, topscored for the students with 13 from 12 balls.

In the other A-Grade game, Bain Construction Old Boys Rugby beat Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates by 19 runs to avenge their six-wicket loss of October. 14.

OBR captain Jonathan Purcell won the toss and batted.

The Doleman Cup champions of the last three years were dismissed for 128 in 25.4 overs — left-arm spinner Matt Crampton taking 4-29 off 7 and skipper Dane Thompson 3-16 off 6.

Thompson bowled two maiden overs in a continuation of his superb form with the ball.

Graham Hudson, in at 4, hit seven boundaries and a six in his 40 from 47 balls. He shared a 58-run stand — OBR’s only partnership of note — with No.6 Arun Kurup (23 off 25).

“At the start of the day, had you asked me how I felt about OBR all out for 128, I’d have taken it. Our top order should be more than capable of chasing that down,” said 22-year-old Thompson.

Should have . . . didn’t.

“As a batting unit we’re disappointed but we’re also determined to get our season back on track.”

Hudson took the new ball for OBR and claimed the first and 10th wickets, and figures of 4-17 off 7.3. Kurup nabbed 4-12 from 7, including two maidens.

Crampton (36 off 62) and Brad Reynolds (9 from 25) shared a 32-run stand for the fifth wicket until Reynolds fell with the score at 86.

Pirates were bowled out for 109 in 32.3 overs.

Purcell was pleased with the manner in which his team fought back after being bowled out for a modest total.

“Graham and Arun batted well to get us through to 128 and they backed that up with four wickets each. We had great energy in the field and a never-say-die attitude — especially with players of the calibre of Kieran Venema, Carl Carmody, Hamish Evans, Timoti Weir and Jimmy Holden all unavailable.”

HOPE CUP 30 overs competition: OBR (2) 73 (D Gray 36, T Gray 15; L Hurlstone 4-16, S Briant 3-16) lost to Campion 76-2 (M Naden 27, R Briant 15no) by 8 wickets.

Stirling Logging Ngatapa Green 135-6 (C Richardson 66, T Holden 33; R Majstrovic 3-19, H Singh 2-26) def HSOB (2) 86 (H Singh 24, R Majstrovic 18; J Spence 5-25, C Hurlstone 2-2 in five balls) by 49 runs.