“We won the toss and Matt McNeil (28 runs off 20 balls) at No.5 was solid. We made 137-5.
Jacob Colbert (3-9 off four overs), Travis Mitchell (2-16 off four) and Adam Whibley (2-14 off four) then bowled well for us. We took early wickets, got on top and knew we could win from there.”
Batting at No.4, Scott top-scored in the match and played all the shots in his innings of 59 not out from 50 balls.
No.7 Amani Karauria-Lunt (12 not out off nine balls) played an excellent hand to close the innings.
Scott shared a 45-run stand with McNeil for the fourth wicket. McNeil chipped the ball over the infield skilfully, and Karauria-Lunt’s aggressive running was a feature of his crucial 37-run partnership with the captain.
Gisborne Boys’ High dismissed Bethlehem for 93 in 19.5 overs. No.8 Jack Hendy (25 not out off 21 balls) was Bethlehem’s leading run-scorer.
The visitors were dealt a major blow with the dismissal of first drop Cameron Riley — a Northern Districts under-17 teammate of Scott last season and member of the Bay of Plenty team who lost to Poverty Bay at the Harry Barker Reserve on Sunday.
Riley was out for a duck, caught and bowled by Colbert, and Bethlehem were in trouble at 11-2.
Bethlehem later lost five wickets for 10 runs between 51 and 61.
Zeppo Page, operating off a short run, had Jacob Marshall caught at mid-on by Mitchell for five to clinch the win.
Gisborne Boys’ High School’s first 11 and Colts will play their Hastings Boys’ High counterparts on Sunday and Monday in Hastings.
