Gisborne Boys' High School First XI celebrate after their victory over Bollywood High School Old Boys in the final of the Poverty Bay Premier Grade cricket's Doleman Cup. Back row (from left) are Steve Whitaker (coach), Joel Kirkpatrick, Robbie Newlands, Brandon Fearnley, Jett Whitaker, Gayesha Mahabalage, Patrick McInnes, Jack Williams and Graeme Newlands (manager). Front row (from left) are Pranash Senthooran, Caleb Taewa, captain Charlie Whitfield (captain), Johnathon Gray, Alex Langford and Cody McMurray.
Gisborne Boys' High School First XI celebrate after their victory over Bollywood High School Old Boys in the final of the Poverty Bay Premier Grade cricket's Doleman Cup. Back row (from left) are Steve Whitaker (coach), Joel Kirkpatrick, Robbie Newlands, Brandon Fearnley, Jett Whitaker, Gayesha Mahabalage, Patrick McInnes, Jack Williams and Graeme Newlands (manager). Front row (from left) are Pranash Senthooran, Caleb Taewa, captain Charlie Whitfield (captain), Johnathon Gray, Alex Langford and Cody McMurray.
Pressure and extreme heat create diamonds over time.
And under the hammer, Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI backed up their semi-final heroics of a week before to beat Bollywood High School Old Boys by 21 runs in the 40-over Doleman Cup Final on Saturday, a win highlighted bya stunning four-wicket over from Gisborne opening bower Johnny Gray that included a hat-trick.
Five members from each team were in the Poverty Bay side who won two games at the Northern Districts Emerging Rangatahi Tane Under-19 tournament for the first time in four years at Harry Barker Reserve last week.
The Charlie Whitfield-led Gisborne Boys’ High School (GBHS) crew and Bollywood High School Old Boys (HSOB), under Taye McGuinness, dug deep to produce a tight, tough contest on the Harry Barker Reserve rep wicket, showcasing skill, athleticism and nerve in pursuit of the first of the Poverty Bay Premier Grade’s three trophies.
“Everyone contributed to the win,” Whitfield said. “But Patrick McInnes, Robbie Newlands and Joel Kirkpatrick deserve a special mention for getting us to a defendable and, in the end, winning score of 144 in 39 overs.
“Opener Jett Whitaker [6] showed up for us despite having back injuries recently while left-arm pace bowlers Johnathon Gray [four wickets for 24 runs off six overs] and Caleb Taewa [3-27-4.5] took seven wickets combined.
“Jett [heading to university next year] and Patrick [Hamilton Boys’ High] both played their last game for us in that final and they’ll be missed for their dedication and willingness to do whatever they could to help us be a better team and win.”
Gisborne Boys' First XI spearhead Johnny Gray with the ball he took four wickets with in one over, including a hat-trick, in the Doleman Cup final at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.
Whitfield won the toss, opted to bat first and opener Kirkpatrick top-scored for GBHS with 34 from 77 balls.
HSOB spearhead Connor Starck bowled superbly without reward, including two maiden overs, to concede only eight runs in four overs.
Leg-spinner Keanu Makiri (3-26-8) and left-arm orthodox spinner Riker Rolls (2-18-8) kept the ball up to the bat while posing a constant threat.
Pace-bowling allrounder Nathaniel Fearnley took 2-21-5.
Against a well-rounded attack, the tenacious Kirkpatrick, second drop McInnes (27 off 42 balls, including four boundaries) and Newlands (21 off 31) played sensibly. McInnes was aggressive in his footwork against the spinners and the tall Newlands played his finest batting hand to date for the First XI.
McInnes put on 44 with first drop Gayesha Mahabalage (4) – the biggest partnership of the first innings – before being brilliantly caught by Alex Shanks over his right shoulder at mid-wicket with the score at 94-5. GBHS ground their way to a further 50 runs to give their bowlers something to defend.
Gray then became the sword unsheathed.
The Northern Districts Māori left-arm quick swung the game GBHS’s way with four wickets for two runs in his third over. His remarkable six balls saw him go through opener Akira Makiri (1) second ball, trap veteran Pushpinder Kumar (2) leg before wicket with his fourth ball and bowl Shanks, then McGuinness, to complete his hat-trick.
Gray’s new-ball partner Brandon Fearnley helped keep the lid on HSOB at both ends by conceding only 21 runs in six overs.
Their good work was continued by the side’s other left-arm paceman Taewa and swing bowler McInnes.
Taewa’s slower delivery has befuddled opposing batters all season and did so again on the big stage in taking the key wickets of first drop David Gray (29 off 25 balls, four fours, one six) and the destructive Anthony Boyder (14), who hammered 65 off 33 balls the last time the sides met.
Starck and Nathaniel Fearnley (23 off 38) put on 49 runs to get them to 115-6 when Fearnley was caught by wicketkeeper Alex Langford off the bustling McInnes (2-12-4).
McInnes proceeded to have Keanu Makiri caught by Williams for nought, Williams, like McInnes a Year 10 student, diving forward at mid-off to complete a brilliant and vital catch.
Taewa cleaned out Starck (32 from 40) with the score at 123.
The game finished five balls into the 27th over when the last man in, Tharuka Fernando (0), pushed the ball to Joel Kirkpatrick at point. He tossed the ball to Taewa, who ran to the stumps at the bowling end to run out stranded non-striker Uday Charlee (3).
For long-serving umpires Jason Trowill and Stewart Patrick, it was a further test of their concentration, judgment and stamina.
SCOREBOARD
POVERTY BAY PREMIER GRADE DOLEMAN CUP 40-OVER FINAL
Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI 144 all-out in 39 overs (Joel Kirkpatrick 34, Patrick McInnes 27, Robbie Newlands 21; Keanu Makiri 3 wickets for 26 runs off 8 overs Riker Rolls 2-18-8-2 maidens, Nathaniel Fearnley 2-21-5-1) def Bollywood High School Old Boys’ 123 all-out in 26.5 overs (Connor Starck 32, David Gray 29, Nathaniel Fearnley 23; Johnathon Gray 4-24-6-1, Caleb Taewa 3-27-4.5, McInnes 2-12-4-1) by 21 runs.
