Gisborne Intermediate win three of four

RUNNERS-UP: Gisborne Intermediate School girls’ cricket team finished second at the Northern Districts regional finals in the National Primary School Shield. They are, back (from left): Isobel Robertson-Reiri, Savanah Mcghee, Amy Thomas, Tegan Hayward and Keeley Smiler. Front: Gloria Allen, Kalianne Taylor, Maryanne Keiaho and Georgia Hulme-Moir. Picture supplied

What a way to go out.

The Gisborne Intermediate School girls’ cricket team finished their four-match campaign at Gordon Spratt Reserve in Papamaoa with two big wins yesterday.

The Gis Int girls, representing Poverty Bay Cricket Association, were runners-up to Kamo of Northland at the Northern Districts regional finals in the National Primary School Shield.

The Mel Knight-coached Gisborne team won three out of four games, falling only to the unbeaten Kamo at the round-robin tournament, and bowed out with victories by 76 runs against Tauranga Intermediate in the morning and by 137 runs against 2018 national champions Morrinsville Intermediate.

Morrinsville coach Rodney Lamb said: “The Gisborne girls’ cricket knowledge was excellent, they were well drilled both in batting and bowling, and Maryanne Keiaho has a heck of a throwing arm!”

Keiaho ran out two Morrinsville batters in defence of Gis Int’s highest team total of the tourney — 167-4 in 20 overs of the nine-a-side match — her captain Amy Thomas having won the toss and chosen to bat.

Thomas could not be kept out of the action: openers Keeley Smiler (40 off 27 balls with seven boundaries) and Maryanne Keiaho (25 from 34) laid an excellent platform, second-drop Georgia Hulme-Moir scored a run-a-ball 14 and Thomas hit five fours in her 13-ball innings of 30.

Wicketkeeper Thomas later effected three stumpings in three overs to wrap up the Morrinsville run-chase for 30 in 8.2 overs.

Morrinsville first-change bowler Dawson Higham took 3-31 off four overs and Devonte Manihera-Walker (eight runs off eight balls) struck two boundaries as their top-scorer and MVP (most valuable player).

Gisborne seamer Isobel Robertson-Reiri was the final beneficiary of Thomas’s lightning gloves. Thomas effected two stumpings off the first two deliveries by Robertson-Reiri to end play.

In Game 1 yesterday, Thomas opted to bat, her team making 140-4. Vice-captain Savanah Mcghee, batting at No.4, hit seven boundaries in her unbeaten 65 from 59 balls.

It was the biggest individual score by a Gis Int player at the tournament. Georgia Hulme-Moir, batting at No.6, was 19 not out.

Hulme-Moir later took 2-16 off three overs, and fellow medium-pacer Tegan Hayward took 2-11 off two, as Tauranga was dismissed for 64 in 13.1 overs.

Brittany Jenkins (2-15 and 19 from 25 balls) played excellent cricket for Tauranga.

Gisborne Intermediate coach Knight had every reason to be well pleased with her team’s performance.

“We were a bit slow off the mark with our batting in the first two days but we played to our potential in these last two games,” she said.

“Amy (Thomas) was unflappable and led the girls by example, and Savanah (Mcghee) kept everyone on their toes with good talk in the field.”

On Monday, Kamo all-rounder Mia Chatterton — who took 4-7 in 2.2 overs with the new ball and later scored 32 off 35 balls from No.1 — was that school’s match-winner against Gisborne Intermediate.

The Northerners chased down Gis Int’s total of 72 with five wickets in hand and three balls to spare in 14.3 overs.

Thomas won the toss and chose to bat. Gis Int were bowled out for 72 in 14.2 overs. Opener Keeley Smiler and No.6 Savanah McGhee scored 14 runs apiece.

Hulme-Moir was the only Gis Int bowler to take a wicket (the prize scalp of Chatterton) to finish with figures of 1-13 off three overs, although her team did achieve two run-outs.

Coach Knight made the Gisborne Intermediate MVP award to the whole side.