Savannah McGhee (two wickets in two maiden overs), Neve Loffler (1-4 off two overs), Talia Chetty (1-4 off one) and Grace Kuil (1-8 off 1.3) were the women’s best bowlers.
Chetty, in her second game of the season, made an unbeaten seven — the highest individual score in the match.
Stars seamers Matt van Zyl (1-1 off one over) and Manjot Singh (1-10 off one) took the wickets of Chetty’s opening partner Amy Thomas (5) and No.3 Neve Loffler (1).
Pups captain Kelan Bryant was pleased with the effort from his players, with their focus now being simply to retain wickets.
The DNature Dragons will savour this win.
Captain Alex Shanks and his Dragons’ well-deserved five-wicket win against the Ngatapa Knights was their first taste of victory in either the Saturday T30 or Wednesday T15 leagues this season.
“To see the improvement in our boys’ play, it’s a good feeling,” Shanks said.
”We pressured Ngatapa into giving catches and three run-outs.”
DNature won the toss and bowled the Knights out for 81 in 15 overs.
Batting at No.6, Sam Gaddum was run out for a well-compiled 17 off 30 balls for Ngatapa.
Akira Makiri (3-11 off two) and Jett Whitaker (1-13 off two) shone with the ball for the Dragons.
Shanks, batting at No.6 to give other teammates an opportunity, nevertheless struck six boundaries in a fine innings of 31 not out from 22 balls as DNature reached 82-3 in 19.3 overs.
Aiden Armstrong (1-8 off two), Gaddum (1-12 off two) and Elenor Walsh (1-13 off 2.3 overs) bowled a good line around off stump consistently for the Knights.
In Australia, they’d be called battlers.
That term of endearment, worn by its recipients with pride, best describes the gutsy OBR Sharks.
Put in to bat by HSOB Pups captain Hamish Swann, the Sharks put up 52-7 in 12.5 overs.
Second-drop Tama Wirepa (14 retired from 15 balls) hit two fours in his knock.
Wirepa sets an excellent example for teammates and opposition alike with his enthusiasm for cricket.
John Broad (2-1 off three overs), Rhys Grogan (2-10 off three), Nathaniel Fearnley (1-15 off three), Swann (1-16 off three) and Taye McGuinness, who took one wicket for four runs from five deliveries, continued their excellent form this season with the ball.
The Pups made 53-5 in 9.4 overs.Grogan (19 from 14 balls) and opener Malsha Mahabalage (15 off 18) were in good touch.
“We want to give all players a chance to try different skills,” Swann said.
“We change positions in the field, give players like Gagandeep Singh — who’s normally at cover — an opportunity square of the wicket (square leg, point).
“OBR have at least two keepers — Braden Sycamore and Rylan Crosby-Wright — and they swap that up week to week, too.”
