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“We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over.”
So said Scott Tallott after his Bollywood High School Old Boys side advanced to this weekend’s Walker Shield twenty 20 club cricket final.
HSOB beat Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11 by 80 runs in their semifinal at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.
They face Bain Construction OBR in the final, OBR booking their place with an eight-wicket defeat of Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates.
Opener Tallott led the way as HSOB batted first and made 131-7 against the students.
His 44 from 42 balls included two sixes and two fours — two of which were one-handed shots on a wicket that required batsmen to graft and play the ball as late as possible.
HSOB skipper paid tribute to the opposition bowlers.
“Paul Stewart and Jack Faulkner did a top job for Boys’ High in the first five overs — we were only on 11 then.
“Robert Schwass gave it all in the field and made a couple of diving stops.
“They were good with the ball and in the field.”
Fourth-change Matt Foster, 14, bore testament to GBHS’s depth in bowling. He took two wickets for 18 runs off three overs including the prize wicket of Tallott, well caught by Schwass with the score at 69.
The Y10 student also claimed the dangerous Ajay Kumar (eight runs off 11 balls), caught by Stewart at long on.
Faulkner (2-19 off five) and new ball partner Stewart (0-19 off four) set a high standard with the ball.
Captain Drew Scott (1-22 off four) picked up the wicket of opener Glen Udall (23 from 28) with the score at 72.
Gagan Dhingra (24 off 22) was HSOB’s second top run-scorer while Marshall Norris suffered the unfortunate fate of what is known as a “black duck” . . . run out without facing a ball.
Boys’ High lost their first wicket with a run-out, Stewart for 14, with the score at 24 after 3.5 overs. Faulkner also made 14 from no.5 while Stewart’s opening partner Matt McNeil (10) was the only other of his team to get into double figures as they were bundled out for 51 in 12.2 overs.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Ryan Majstrovic took 3-6 off 2.2 overs and seamer Norris bounced back well with the ball to claim 2-10 off two.
“We bowled well. I expected us to bowl good line and length, and was happy to be chasing 131 against their line-up,” said Scott. “We held some good catches.
With the bat, for us, it’s a matter of self-belief at the moment. We all need to think positively to play that way.”
OBR next Saturday will be a much different proposition to a Boys’ High team who featured two incoming cricketers — debutants Travis O’Rourke and Jack Whitehead-McKay.
The OBR-Pirates game on the rep wicket was delayed by an hour to allow the pitch to dry more after the covers leaked in Friday’s rain.
Whoever won the toss was always going to bowl. OBR won it and restricted Pirates to 59-9 in their 20 overs such was the difficulty of the wicket.
Pirates opener Scott Hollinshead topscored with 19 and No.4 Tom Needham made 17.
Pirates medium pace bowler Richie Needham got danger man Craig Christophers early for two.
But fellow OBR opener Kieran Venema anchored their victorious run chase with 30.