Challenge Cup final: Admiralty v Blues and Royals

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

A thrilling season of T20 Challenge Cup cricket is set to end on a high today at Harry Barker Reserve.

It is an all-Gisborne Boys’ High School show in Week 6. From 3.30pm, Caleb Taewa’s unbeaten Admiralty and the Blues and Royals under Jett Whitaker will play for the William Townley Shield in the final on the representative wicket.

The much-improved Ted Gillies-led Life Guards and new side the King’s Own, captained by Charlie Whitfield, are to contest the third/fourth spots on Ground 2.

The King’s Own replaced the Campion College second 11 who withdrew because of lack of player numbers.

Despite that — and the absence of a Lytton High, Gisborne Girls’ High, Tairawhiti Women’s Cricket Club or Sonrise Christian School team — a number of skilful and passionate cricketers were blooded in Senior C Grade competition this summer.

In Round 1, Admiralty Year 9 dynamos Patrick McInnes (34) and Conrad Parkes (31) put on 47 for the third wicket in a 10-run victory against the Blues and Royals.

Also in Round 1, Harvey Reynolds (29) and Alex Langford (16 not out) shared an opening stand of 60 in the Guards’ six-wicket win v Campion. Later off-spinner Ted Gillies took three wickets for just three runs and Harvey’s older brother, paceman Jonah, 3-9.

In Round 4, at the top of the order, Harvey (56o) and Jonah (53no) — both Sonrise Christian School students — put on 127 as the Guards beat Campion by nine wickets.

Alex Langford will today play his younger brother Matthew on his Challenge Cup debut.

Alex has been magnificent in the field this summer. Indeed, during the last six weeks, a raft of cricketers stepped up in the absence of those, such as Parkes and his teammate Sol Bevins, whose season was cut short by injury.

Superb fielding has been a feature of this Challenge Cup — from the powerful throwing arms of the Blues’ Bjorn Botma and Admiralty’s Micah Langford to the boots-and-all effort of McInnes.

Robbie Newlands’ return from injury could not have been better timed from the Admiralty’s perspective while the King’s Own — the youngest team in the competition — will be tested by a bowling attack that has quality off-spin, leg-spin and left-arm swing.

The teams have worn their whites as good cricketers should, and umpired and scored their own matches to a good standard.

Every player now has a greater appreciation of what being a good cricketer entails.

THE ADMIRALTY: Caleb Taewa (c), Kobe Donnelly (wkp), Alistair Bryant, Raffaele Colucci, Cory Land, Micah Langford, Patrick McInnes, Robbie Newlands.

THE BLUES & ROYALS: Jett Whitaker (c), Arthur Cave (wkp), Bjorn Botma, Brandon Fearnley, Jack Holden, Jake Kirkpatrick, Gayesha Mahabalage, Liam Pinn.

THE LIFE GUARDS: Ted Gillies (c), Archie Gillies (wkp), Tarn Boyle, Jordyn Haley, Alex Langford, Taimana Lloyd, Hugo Phillips, Harvey Reynolds.

THE KING’S OWN: Charlie Whitfield (c), Jack Roberts (wkp), Tristan Flamwell, Joel Kirkpatrick, Cody McMurray, Jonah Reynolds, Jack Williams, Matthew Langford.