The Isaac Hughes-led HSOB — who beat Campion by 125 runs courtesy of an undefeated 107 by Glen Udall, plus good bowling from seamer Mike Francis (4-11-6) and left-arm orthodox spinner Adam Whibley (2-16-6) — will play the reinstated OBR2 on Nelson Park No.4.
HSOB have former senior representatives of real ability and experience, such as Udall, and OBR2 — who are as yet an unknown quantity — will have to play well to cause what would be a real upset.
OBR2 lost three high school players (and their dads) at the start of the season. HSOB have a strong, varied bowling attack, set good fields and bat deep.
Campion will be without Max Briant for the game against Ngatapa, but his partner-in-crime with the new ball, Blake Marshall, is back.
Marshall bowled excellently a fortnight ago, conceding only 26 runs from six overs in the context of a game in which HSOB’s top-scorer hit four sixes and 13 fours.
Campion have two promising Year 8 seamers, recently named in the Poverty Bay boys’ primary team, and the College will need them to back up well from their 30-over games on Saturday morning.
Campion were bowled out for 96 in 26.1 overs in Round 1, but they are a much better side than that. Their former senior reps include big left-hander Darryl Dunn, who can still hit the ball a very long way and his dismissal was a huge moment in Game 1.
Boys’ High will once again field an all-schoolboys team for the Horouta match. Matt Foster — one of only two Y11s in the side — and Dan Watts made an outstanding start to the season line and length-wise. They bowled in a good channel around off-stump and were up to the bat. Strong left-armer Travis O’Rourke (right thumb injury) and Sebastian Wilson (volleyball trip) are unavailable, but Foster’s fellow Y11 Daniel Stewart will be on deck and he bowled good off-spin without luck (0-14-3) against Ngatapa, bearing in mind that the natural variation of grass makes a difference to all bowlers who are accurate.
All three 30-over Hope Cup games start at 2pm.
