Gisborne Intermediate beat Ilminster by seven wickets to take NZ Community Trust Cup

Cricket Gisborne Intermediate v Ilminster - Gareth Langford (Gis Int), Lukas Fry (Ilminster)

CRICKET

Victory by eight wickets — that’s what the Sebastian Wilson-led Gisborne Intermediate School boys’ cricket team achieved against Ilminster in a New Zealand Community Trust Cup nine-a-side game at Gisborne Intermediate yesterday.

Ilminster won the toss, elected to bat and were all out for 98 in their 20 overs.

Ilminster No.2 Alex Shanks made 44 runs off 54 balls. His innings was the best by an Ilminster cricketer since that of opening batsman Christian Gray at Ilminster in 2009. Gray’s 68 remains the highest individual score by an Ilminster player against Gisborne Intermediate.

“The standard of cricket from both schools was encouraging and was a good advertisement for the sport,” Gisborne Intermediate School coach and principal Glen Udall said.

“Having lost the toss and been asked to field, our objective was to bowl accurately and create pressure through dot-balls. That was achieved when bowling to all but Alex Shanks. He was the backbone of their innings.”

Ilminster lost their No.1 and captain Angus Baker (six runs) when he got a top-edge trying to cut a short ball from Noah Torrance-Cribb (3-24 off four overs). Wilson took the catch at slip.

Alex Shanks, who made 44 runs off 54 balls, was the only Ilminster batsman to score in double figuresYear 7 student Shanks — the only Ilminster batsman to score in double-figures — then timed and placed the ball with great maturity.

Wilson took 2-11 off four overs bowling first change. Left-arm orthodox spinner Campbell Steele (1-22 off three), on debut, took the wicket of George Gillies with his first ball for the school, courtesy of the first of two very good catches by Henry Watson at extra cover. Seamer Peter Reynolds bowled superbly despite going wicketless for 18 in four overs, and Gareth Langford took 1-6 off one.

Langford, batting at No.2, then made 48 not out off 45 balls. His partner, left-hander Jarrod Ormiston, is a strong on-side player. He made 35 not out, having faced 43 balls, and hit the winning runs.

Promising left-armer Lukas Fry (0-12 off four overs) and Baker (0-13 off four) were the pick of Ilminster’s bowlers, while in Teleious Downs-Bryant the visitors have an alert, committed outfielder with a strong throwing arm.

Langford hits the pull-shot hard: both openers kept Downs-Bryant in work.

“Will Rouse made nine and ran well between the wickets to support Alex,” Ilminster coach Nan Baker said.

“They reached our score in the 17th over but I’m pleased that we gave away few extras (17). Cricket at our school is heading in the right direction: this was a big improvement on last year.”

Wilson said: “Noah Torrance-Cribb has really developed as a bowler this season and I was just happy that I was able to hold on to the catch off Gus (Baker).

“Gareth and Jarrod kept Lukas Fry at bay — he was a real threat for Ilminster — and then switched to attack mode.

“We’ve got work-ons for sure but we’re also now very excited to be going to Tauranga.”