In 40-over cricket, 246 is a big score. OBR captain and left-arm orthodox spinner Greeks was the pick of his crew's bowlers with 4-37 in eight overs. As a skipper, Greeks must see himself as an attacking bowler first and foremost but left-arm spin can also put the clamps on batsmen by its quality, not by the firing of darts.
Amit Vyas, the fourth medium-pacer used by OBR, made an excellent return to the bowling crease with 2-33 from eight overs. He can make the ball talk and while such a bowler may occasionally be untidy, he can also spring a surprise on good players and demands respect.
OBR needed to score over six runs an over from the outset in pursuit of 247 —the representative wicket boasts Harry Barker Reserve's biggest boundaries. At least two batsmen needed to make sizeable contributions, for the team batting second to get close.
Josh Adams's 42 off 36 balls from first drop, Jerome Ellis's battling 24 off 64 from No.8 and Sean Henry's unbeaten 23, having come in at 10, saw OBR through to 153 in 33.2 overs.
Three bustling seamers were chiefly responsible for OBR falling short: second-change Hasantha Vithanage (4-25), Jagroop Singh (2-26) and Judd (2-31).
Judd bowled only four overs but both first-change Singh and Vithanage got through all eight overs. It is worth pointing out that with Adams at No.3 and the mighty Greeks at 4, had Horouta bowled badly, the game might have been a much closer contest.
Situ said: “That was a good game. Our openers both getting 50s gave us the perfect start, and although we had a mini-collapse in the top order, Bruno and the tail did well.”
Greeks acknowledged his team's effort, special note being made of OBR patriot Holden taking two catches, one of which was “a screamer”.
England left-armer Wilfred Rhodes once said: “If the batsman thinks they're spinning, then they're spinning.”
And while some records have Rhodes taking 4187 first-class wickets, others 4204, the Yorkshireman's sage observation about the psychology of spin definitely holds water.
And so it was that Bollywood High School Old Boys leggie Dave Castle pinned Gisborne Boys' High School's best strokemakers in the crease and took 5-9 in 5.2 overs. Four of his dismissals were “bowled”.
Castle keeps a tight line and can force batsmen on to the back foot.
Gauging the length of 1.91-metre HSOB captain Carl Shaw's deliveries proved so difficult that he bowled out and took 3-15. All of Shaw's wickets were “bowled”.
Shaw won the toss on No.1 and chose to bowl first. Boys' High were dismissed for 108 in 32.5 overs.
Only skipper Nathan Trowell (28 from first drop), No.4 Kelan Bryant (27) and No.6 Travis O'Rourke (21) got into the 20s. These three, along with Luke Fisher, Cohen Loffler and Alex Shanks of the school-age players, need to first play themselves in and then go on.
Young though they are, having reached 20 in a side batting first on a fair pitch, they are capable of contributing to and posting competitive totals.
They have had the opportunity in the past three years to bat with player-coaches Malcolm Trowell, Graham Sharp, Josiah Turner and a good left-hander in Nicholas Hendrie.
It was always going to be tough to defend a score of 108 but Boys' High showed heart.
Leggie Dylan Foster took 2-25 in six overs, Loffler at first-change bowled with good pace to take 1-24 in five, and Trowell took 1-29 in five.
HSOB first drop Scott Tallott hit three boundaries in his 22 and said later that to have the ball come on to the bat — reducing the need and tendency to over-hit it — was something he appreciated greatly.
Castle's 38no was the only other score of consequence as HSOB won the game by five wickets in 23.3 overs.
Shaw said: “We were a little bit rusty but also happy with aspects of our play in the first game of the season. We have a lot to improve on and we're looking forward to playing more cricket.”
Trowell has identified one key future mission for GBHS: “We played well in parts but need longer partnerships with the bat.”
Ryan Majstrovic spoke on behalf of the Poverty Bay Cricket Association about an excellent first day's play at a ground that has been described as the best Northern Districts venue for tournaments.
“As an association, we were thrilled to be on grass from the outset — full credit to the work Heinrich Putter has put in over the few short weeks he's been here,” Majstrovic said.
“Our just-retired groundsman Rowan Clark's shoes are big ones to fill, but Heinrich has shown that he can.
“We thank the clubs for their positive attitude towards using the new PlayHQ scoring system, and congratulate all of them on a good day of competitive cricket.”
