HSOB still unbeaten with two from two

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

High School Old Boys remain the only unbeaten team after two rounds of the 40-over Doleman Cup competition at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.

Bollywood Stars HSOB made it two wins from two games with a 42-run win against Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates, who beat defending champions Bain Construction OBR in Round 1 two weeks ago.

HSOB lost David Salmon and Bruce Kerr with only 13 runs on the board but skipper Scott Tallott and Carl Shaw revived the innings with an 88-run stand before Tallott was out. His innings of 43 included two sixes and four fours.

From 101-2, HSOB lost eight wickets for 18 runs, with Matt Crampton and Brad Reynolds the chief destroyers.

Crampton’s four wickets came at a cost of only eight runs from six overs, while Reynolds returned figures of 4-12 off four. Shaw followed up his innings of 40 by taking 4-48. He struck an early blow for HSOB when he trapped Baxter Mackay leg before wicket for 15, with 26 runs on the board. Shaw picked up his second wicket six runs later when he had Scott Hollinshead caught behind by wicketkeeper Bruce Kerr for 14.

Having been 32-1, Pirates slumped to 34-5. They also lost Tayla Hollis, Crampton and Sam Patterson.

Skipper Dane Thompson and Tom Needham steadied the ship with a 38-run partnership that should have laid the platform for victory.

But after Marshall Norris dismissed Needham, lbw, for eight, Pirates collapsed to be all out for 77.

Norris finished with three wickets for two runs off two overs, and Thompson was stranded on 21 not out.

“We knew we had to break the partnership (Needham and Thompson),” Tallott said.

“Then Marshall knocked over Richie (Needham) and Brad, two players who could have taken the game away from us.”

While happy with the win, Tallott was not happy with his batsmen.

“It’s frustrating. We have good batters who are capable of big scores but it’s not happening.

“Our bowlers kept us in the match. When Tom and Dane were together, I just reminded the boys that we went from 101-2 to all out for 119.”

OBR opened their win account with a 43-run victory over Gisborne Boys’ High School.

Batting first, OBR posted a daunting total of 244-6. Ian Loffler’s 64 included eight fours, and Carl Carmody’s 61 included two sixes and seven fours.

After Josiah Turner had opener Craig Christophers caught by Ben Bristow, Kieran Venema and Loffler added 88 runs before Venema was out, caught by Paul Stewart off the bowling of Drew Scott for 41. Loffler and Carmody continued to attack the bowling and took the total to 193 before Loffler was caught by Robbie Schwass off the bowling of Turner.

Arun Kurup wagged the tail with a hard-hit unbeaten 27.

Travis Mitchell hit a brilliant 64 and Scott scored 22 — but the experience of OBR bowlers Matt Cook, Jimmy Holden and Kurup gave OBR the points.

HSOB 119 (Scott Tallott 43, Carl Shaw 40; Matt Crampton 4-8, Brad Reynolds 4-12) def Pirates 77 (Dane Thompson 21 not out; Carl Shaw 4-48, Marshall Norris 3-2, D Salmon 2-1).

OBR 244-6 (Ian Loffler 64, Carl Carmody 61, Kieran Venema 41, Arun Kurup 27, Craig Christophers 25; Josiah Turner 2-30) def GBHS 191 (Travis Mitchell 64, Drew Scott 22; Matt Cook 3-22, Jimmy Holden 2-34, A Kurup 2-37).