Leaders HSOB hold off Horouta

HAPPY CAPTAIN: HSOB captain Carl Shaw scored 26 in his team's DJ Barry Cup victory over Horouta - a win he put down to a strong bowling performance. HSOB won by 63 runs.Picture by Paul Rickard

High School Old Boys remain on top of the DJ Barry Cup standings after fighting off a defiant Horouta in Poverty Bay premier club cricket on Saturday.

Bollywood Stars HSOB were bowled out in the 43rd over, having scored 235, then dismissed Horouta for 172 in the 44th over.

But not before the Siteworx Civil Horouta side came out of the gate at a blistering pace.

Openers Teghbir Singh (68) and Harmanpreet Gill (19) put on 68 for the first wicket, scoring at more than a run a ball.

Dave Castle broke the partnership, with Ryan Majstrovic taking the catch to dismiss Gill.

The Horouta run rate slowed and Singh was eventually dismissed in the 17th over to put Horouta 105-2.

With the removal of Horouta's danger men, HSOB retook control and patiently worked their way through the middle order and tail end.

There were bouts of defiance like Ben Brick's eight runs from 38 deliveries, but they weren't enough to topple the competition front-runners. H

Led by a four-wicket haul by Majstrovic, HSOB were able to squeeze their opponents with a largely spin-based attack.

Captain Carl Shaw said it was a game won by the bowlers, despite a strong showing from the batsmen.

“We know we have the bowlers to turn almost any game and Dan (Torrie), Dave (Castle) and Ryan (Majstrovic) showed that.

“Great control and execution of their plans netted them most of the wickets and choked the run rate.”

Shaw said their total was defendable but it should have been higher. Many of their players got starts, then got themselves out.

“Special mention goes to Angus (Orsler), who probably ran close to 15 kilometres out there on the boundary and never slowed down or gave up.”

Horouta captain David Situ said Singh and Gill put them in a good position to win the game, but some classy bowling ultimately foiled them.

“HSOB bowled some really good spin on a turning deck and definitely put the squeeze on,” Situ said.

“We just couldn't keep going with the bat.

“We need to learn to take singles and rotate the strike.”

Situ said he was happy with the performance but Horouta would need to step up again ahead of their clash with Gisborne Boys' High School on Saturday.

DJ Barry Cup results (50 overs) —

HSOB 235 (Sean Wills 44, Baxter Mackay 44, Dave Castle 41, Carl Shaw 26; Hasantha Vithanage 2-19, Akshay Akshay 2-/27, Bruno Judd 2-35, Gaurav Kashyap 2-48) beat Horouta 172 (Teghbir Singh 68, Gaurav Kashyap 23).

OBR 208 (Craig Christophers 106, Amit Vyas 29, Thom Berry 23; Bekko Page 5-28, Luke Fisher 2-36) beat GISBORNE BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL 130 (Nathan Trowell 25, Cohen Loffler 20; I Loffler 2-4, Sean Henry 2-10, Matt Cook 2-32, George Reynolds 2-45).

Hope Cup results (30 overs) —

Horouta Te Waka 197-9 (Chaitanya Sambare 86, Grace Levy 30 not out, Billy Morse 28) beat Rawhiti Legal OBR 46 (Mana Taumaunu 13; Vinay Patel 3-14, Grace Levy 2-4, Clarence Campbell 2-8) by 151 runs.

Bollywood Stars High School Old Boys Presidents 183-9 (Matt Jefferd 56, Jeff Chambers 31, Ollie Needham 22; Zac Borrie 5-37) beat Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps 121 (Charles Morrison 34; Nicholas Armour 4-30, Billy Stackhouse 2-5) by 62 runs.

Campion College 96-6 (Rhys Grogan 42, Hamish Swann 22; Caleb Taewa 3-10) beat Gisborne Boys' High School (2) 95 (Malsha Mahabalage 21; Connor Starck 4-15, Rhys Grogan 3-30, Hamish Swann 2-17) by four wickets.