HSOB start with a double-header

RELIABLE RUN-SCORER: Robbie Tallott is back in town and likely to feature for High School Old Boys with the bat again this season. Picture by Paul Rickard

CRICKET

HIGH School Old Boys will quickly be able to gauge the other cricket teams vying for Poverty Bay cricket’s Doleman Cup.

They start their season with a double-header, facing Horouta tomorrow and Landmark Homes OBR on Sunday.

Bollywood Stars HSOB captain Carl Shaw said it felt like a long wait for their first game in the 40-over competition and they were excited to play on grass tracks at Harry Barker Reserve.

Their Sunday game was initially scheduled for three weeks ago but the date had to be moved when it was realised Nelson Park was being used for football.

Shaw said HSOB planned to field nearly the same line-up on both days.

HSOB look to be a strong side on paper, with a handy bowling attack and a useful batting group.

All-rounder Josiah Turner, Gisborne Boys’ High School player-coach last season, bolsters the seam-bowling ranks and will complement the pace of Marshall Norris and swing of Jagroop Singh.

Batsman Baxter Mackay joins the squad from Pirates, who have not entered a team this year, and he should slot in nicely alongside Scott and Robbie Tallott.

They also have Jacob Colbert in the mix, one of Boys’ High’s better batsmen last season.

Horouta and OBR got on the park last week, with Horouta pulling off an upset win in the three-team competition.

It will be some achievement if Horouta are able to back that up with another win.

Captain David Situ said the side had been forced to make changes this week.

They will be without key recruit Graham Hudson, who picked up a niggle last Saturday and will rest as a precaution.

Billy Morse, Hemi Mitchell and Ryan Nepe are all expected to play.

OBR captain Jonathan Purcell said that, after their first-up loss, his team wanted to build a winning mentality ahead of the crunch games in the competition.

OBR, the Doleman Cup champions, have a younger team this season and they’re well stocked with all-rounders but need more from their batsmen.

They were a little rusty in their first game but Purcell said Horouta played well, putting together a solid all-round performance.

Nick Greeks is set to come into the OBR side. Otherwise, their line-up is expected to be similar to last week’s.

Tomorrow’s game starts at 1pm and Sunday’s begins at 11am.