Down but not out

TOTAL CONCENTRATION: Horouta skipper and strike bowler Blake Taylor about to hit the crease in front of OBR umpire Matt Cook. Picture by Liam Clayton

HOROUTA skipper Blake Taylor has not given up on his team’s chances of making the Doleman Cup top four ahead of tomorrow’s final round-robin clash with High School Old Boys at Harry Barker Reserve.

Coastal Ultrasound Horouta go into the match joint fifth with Gisborne Boys’ High School on five points, four points behind Pirates and High School Old Boys and eight in arrears of competition leaders OBR, who play Boys’ High in the 40-overs competition

A win against Bollywood HSOB would put the pressure on Boys’ High to beat Bain Construction OBR, who suffered their first loss in all competitions last night when they went down to Pirates in a Walker Shield twenty20 game.

“It won’t be easy,” said Taylor, who, along with father Greg (batsman) and sister Phoebe (medium pace bowler), form the backbone of the club.

“HSOB have a core of very good cricketers with plenty of experience. But we have to back ourselves that we can win.”

HSOB skipper Scott Tallott spoke highly of the Taylors.

“As well as being good cricketers, they’re good people who do an amazing job for the club,” Tallott said. “They’re good for cricket in Gisborne.

“Blake has come back from uni faster, fitter and stronger.”

Greg’s wife Wendy is the club’s No.1 supporter but Greg said it was not all about his family.

“Clarrie (Campbell), Billy (Morse), Mel (Knight), Vaughan Thompson and Keegan Martin have been with us for a while now.

“Young David Situ has come over from Pirates and has settled in well, and there are others who have contributed.”

Tallott welcomes back Poverty Bay representative David Salmon, who has finished police training.

“Fish (Salmon) is a class top-order batsman, who will really strengthen our batting.

“Having him back will allow some of us to go for our shots — knowing that if we are dismissed we’ve got someone as good as Fish to come in.”

OBR will want to get back to winning ways after their three-run Walker Shield loss last night.“Obviously we’re disappointed to lose but we were never thinking of going through the season unbeaten and

we always knew Pirates were going to be hard to beat, given they have a strong squad,” said OBR strike bowler Jimmy Holden.

“Taking nothing away from Pirates, it was our worst fielding performance of the season. Tomorrow’s another a game and the chance to sort the fielding out.”

Boys’ High will also have to bounce back from a defeat last night, going down by 131 runs to HSOB. OBR should win but club captain Ian Loffler sounded a word of warning.

“Boys High are a good, young team, coached well by Ben (O’Brien-Leaf). They’re getting more experience each year.

“Matt McNeil is an awesome talent. I’ve watched him progress over the past couple of years. He has good batting technique and a good cricketing brain. We won’t take them lightly.”

Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates are missing skipper Brad Reynolds and Tayla Hollis for their game against Campion College, but with all their university players back on board, they are shaping up as genuine title contenders.They shouldwin and cement second spot.

“With no disrespect to Campion, who we all have a lot of time for, we will be using this game as preparation for next week’s semifinal,” said Reynolds, who will be out of the district this weekend.

“Tayla is away with the Northern Spirit team in Hamilton but Sam Patterson will play his first Doleman Cup game for us after leaving school.

“Luke Hayes will captain the side tomorrow.”