HSOB and Horouta off to a bright start

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

HIGH School Old Boys and Horouta opened their accounts with convincing wins in Doleman Cup cricket at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.

Bollywood Stars HSOB beat Gisborne Boys’ High School by five wickets, while Coastal Ultrasound Horouta beat Campion College by 102 runs.

HSOB co-captain and Poverty Bay strike bowler Jak Rowe, in his first game for the club this season, Ajay Kumar and Matt Jefferd knocked the top of the Boys’ High batting, reducing the school to 41-4 in 15.5 overs. Matt McNeil and Robert Schwass led a revival with a 50-run stand before Schwass was bowled by Rowe for 26. Jacob Colbert and McNeil added 36 more runs before Colbert was caught by Aman Kamboj off the bowling of Ryan Majstrovic for 17, leaving McNeil to carry his bat with 40 runs as GBHS posted 147.

HSOB co-skipper Scott Tallott was not entirely happy with his team’s performance.

“It was far from a polished performance,” he said.

“We dropped some catches and lost a few unnecessary wickets . . . I include myself in that (stumped by McNeil off the bowling of Peter Kapene). But a win’s a win.”

HSOB opener Carl Shaw continued his good form. His 62 runs off 50 balls included 10 fours and two sixes. Wicketkeeper Glen Udall, scored 23 before retiring with a leg injury, and HSOB reached their target with five wickets in hand.

Horouta’s David Situ laid the platform for his side’s win with a well-compiled knock of 64 as Horouta reached 167-9. They were 32-2 after the dismissals of Greg Taylor and Edwin Sandys. Then first drop Situ and Keegan Martin put on 65 runs before Martin was bowled by Luke Hurlstone for 26.

Situ and Amit Vyas added another valuable 37 runs before Hurlstone dismissed Situ.

Max Briant was the best of the Campion bowlers, finishing with 5-16 off five overs.

Campion lost wickets at regular intervals with only Mark Naden (33) providing resistance.

Mel Knight (3-12) and Chad Collins (2-15) reduced Campion to 51-6, after danger man Mike Rowland was removed early, Collins taking the catch off Billy Morse.

Clarence Campbell mopped up the tail, with his spin, taking 3-2 off 2.3 overs. Situ capped a man-of-the-match performance with a sharp catch to remove Naden

HSOB 148-5 (C Shaw 62, G Udall 23 retired; P Kapene 3-45) defeated GBHS 147 (M McNeil 40no, R Schwass 26, D Scott 23; J Rowe 3-23, S Drain 2-17) by five wkts.

Horouta 167-9 (D Situ 64, K Martin 26, M Knight 13no; M Briant 5-16, L Hurlstone 2-23) def Campion College 65 (M Naden 33; C Campbell 3-2, M Knight 3-12, C Collins 2-15) by 102 runs.