HSOB will test OBR mettle

Putting bat to ball: Horouta captain David Situ bats at a ball bowled by Gisborne Boys’ High school during last season. Horouta will play BHS tomorrow.Picture by Paul Rickard

Is fire back in the belly of OBR?

Last Saturday, Coastal Concrete Old Boys Rugby tasted success in Doleman Cup cricket for the first time this season, but much will be revealed against competition leaders Bollywood High School Old Boys tomorrow.

Horouta Te Waka (who have a date with the Galaxy World Gisborne Boys' High School first 11) have perhaps the most settled premier side, and the four teams are far stronger with their captains — Nick Greeks (OBR), Carl Shaw (HSOB), David Situ (Horouta) and Nathan Trowell (Boys' High) — on deck.

Greeks rose to the occasion in Round 4, long-limbed left-hander Shaw is an outstanding batsman to watch in full flow, and David Situ has made himself a better cricketer through sheer willpower and commitment, while with Nathan Trowell, good things take time.

Trowell is elegant and plays with the softest hands imaginable in defence. The confidence to be selective and play strokes is not so simple a matter for timers of the ball in this age of big bats and crude hitting too often seen in shorter forms of the game.

Fittingly, the OBR-HSOB clash will be showcased on the Harry Barker Reserve representative wicket on the day that two talented all-rounders return to Doleman Cup competition.

Former Poverty Bay opening bowler Dane Thompson will turn out for OBR and big wicketkeeper-batsman Sebastian Wilson, who can give the ball a fearful crunch, will return to action for Boys' High.

Graham Sharp, deputising for GBHS first 11 coach Josiah Turner, has two things on his mind ahead of the game on HBR No.1.

“I want to see the boys show more intent with the bat and take their opportunities in the field,” he said.

Horouta have solid medium-pace to offer — their vice-captain Shubham Ralhan is back on deck — and bustling leg-spinner Vinay Patel gives their bowling zany variety. His release point can be difficult to gauge, he can beat good batsmen in flight and he is an enjoyable cricketer to watch.

Paul Stewart is a cricketer that HSOB should keep an eye on.

All-rounder Stewart is in top form, having taken 4-35 against Te Waka and backing that up with 57 from No.1 in OBR's great win last Saturday.

Greeks is happy to have the steady, grooved line and length of Stewart, and proven performers Jimmy Holden and Matt Cook complemented by the 6ft 2in Thompson. He can bowl as good an outswinger as any in Poverty Bay Cricket, is up about the gloves of top-order batsmen — that's tough to play — and can nip the ball back.

The OBR skipper aims to get Thompson into the game as early as possible — a wise move — before an experienced, savvy HSOB outfit are truly set.

In the season opener against OBR on HBR No.1, HSOB lost Steve Lamb with the total at 9 in pursuit of 119 but Baxter Mackay, who faced the first ball of the innings, struck 37 not out and Scott Tallott, an unbeaten 69.

High School Old Boys won the game by nine wickets.

At times during that innings, Tallott creamed the ball. Having played club cricket in the United Kingdom, he might show Mackay (who will travel there shortly for the same reason) that tomorrow they can still make runs as a pair, be it 40-over cricket or not.

They have played together for 14-odd years and even if they don't put on a show this time, they could still find a way to influence the outcome of the game.

Good players do that.

There may also be a tussle between the OBR batting line-up and the HSOB finger-spinners to savour in this 1 v 3 clash.

Right-arm off-spinner Dave Castle and tall left-armer Daniel Torrie took four wickets apiece against Boys' High last Saturday for only 15 and 38 runs respectively.

OBR will doubtless look to be positive against the spinners.

Poverty Bay premier-grade cricket will have the umpiring services of Jason Trowill (OBR v HSOB) and Stewart Patrick (GBHS v Horouta).