Hendrie’s innings the difference

IN CHECK: Arun Kurup, here in action for OBR, was part of the Eastland Broncos attack that kept the Eagles’ total in check in Walker Shield T15 Blast play yesterday. Picture by Paul Rickard

Some of it was brilliant.

The rest of last night’s cricket fare in Round 7 of the Walker Shield T15 Blast was a combination of agonising misses and sheer bad luck.

Smash Palace Bail-Breakers had their fifth win of the season so far. Their man of the match, Nic Hendrie, hit five sixes and seven fours in his 72 off 36 balls (retired) from No.1, while first-drop Josiah Turner (25 off 22) hit three fours — including a terrific straight drive — in an eight-wicket win against Bollywood Stars.

Stars captain Glen Udall had won the toss. Batting first, his side made 136-7.

Ajay Kumar (34 off 29 balls) at No.4, Bollywood man of the match Bruce Kerr (28 off 18) at No.3 and Paul Stewart (22 off 20) at No.5 were busy at the crease, but Hendrie’s innings was the difference between the teams.

“Nic’s in another hemisphere compared with the batting talent in our region,” former Poverty Bay senior representative Udall said.

“As he has done in most games, he won the game single-handedly after we posted what would have been a competitive total against other teams. Once he gets going, the contest is all but over.”

Bail-Breakers seamers Jimmy Holden (2-24 off three overs), first-change Billy Morse (2-30 off three) and Holden’s new-ball partner Jak Rowe (1-20 off three) were the bowlers to shine on a good Harry Barker Reserve No.4 pitch, both games having been moved from HBR 1 and 2 to 3 and 4 by agreement among the captains yesterday afternoon.

Bollywood used nine bowlers — from veteran Matt Cook (1-20 off two) and young all-rounder Stewart (1-17 off two) through to Mcxevior Mika, who bowled only one over and didn’t take a wicket but had the attention of both batsmen.

Craig Christophers’ Eastland Broncos — the only team so far to have beaten the Bail-Breakers — last night picked up their second win of the season.

Bail-Breakers lead the competition with 20 points, followed by Bollywood Stars, with 12, the Broncos, eight, and Auto Tyre Eagles, four.

The Broncos won the toss and made 119-3 batting first, the Eagles’ Tom Keogh (1-20 off two overs) claiming the big wicket of Broncos opener Robbie Tallott for 17.

Tom’s elder brother Sam Keogh conceded only nine runs in three overs but Christophers’ 38 at the top of the innings and first-drop Graham Hudson’s 43 proved invaluable. Whether it be T15 or test cricket, nothing beats a cool head.

Hudson took 3-13 off three overs, Christophers 2-5 off two, Sam Patterson 1-12 off two and Arun Kurup 1-15 off two as the Eagles were restricted to 107-7 in 15 overs.

Christophers chose youngster Te-Reimana Gray (0-23 off two) as the Broncos’ man of the match.

Auto Tyre Eagles captain Matt Crampton opened the batting and made 23 to be his team’s man of the match.

Christophers said his side were positive in the field, Sam Patterson hit good lengths and swung the ball, and Te-Reimana Gray “bowled one side of the wicket and held two catches”.

Crampton was pleased with his team’s effort in restricting the Broncos to 119, an excellent outfield catch by Tayla Hollis being a highlight of their first-innings effort.

“We have some young players — Daniel Stewart, Travis O’Rourke, David Gray fielded for us — and they all did a good job.”