Not enough runs on board for GBHS in final Super 8 game

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

After a tough week at the Super 8 cricket tournament, Gisborne Boys’ High School are straight back in the saddle facing Bollywood High School Old Boys in the DJ Barry Cup tomorrow.

GBHS last won at Super 8 level in 2015, against yesterday’s opponents — home team the Tauranga Boys’ College second 11 — by 42 runs, at the same venue Fergusson Park, in the same fixture: the play-off for seventh.

In 2019, Paul Stewart became the first Gisborne captain in the 21-year history of the tourney to win four consecutive tosses, but the home team chased down GBHS’s 87 all-out in 17.3 overs of the 50-over match.

Top-scorer for the visitors was Claude Sutherland, who hit four 4s in his 37-ball 21 from No.9. Year 9 all-rounder Te-Reimana Gray was the next highest scorer with 11.

GBHS’s lower-order fought bravely (14-year-old Travis O’Rourke faced 29 balls for one run) but the side was dismissed in 29.2 overs.

Tauranga captain and off-spinner Braxton Fisher (2-4-2), medium-pacer Joe Smythe (2-11-5), fast bowlers Tomasso Pini (2-23-8) and Cameron O’Dea (2-26-8) were the leading wicket-takers.

Fisher said: “On a bowler’s wicket, our performance with the ball and in the field was outstanding. I was very happy that we pulled through for our first win of the tournament.”

Though a young TBC team won well, their coach Scott Curtis was impressed by aspects of GBHS’s match-effort, such as the 24-run fifth-wicket partnership between Gray and Daniel Stewart (five runs from 17 balls), recovering from 4-19 in 7.3 overs.

“Jack Faulkner (1-14-6, including three maiden overs) bowled 22 balls before we scored a run off him — I hope our bowlers take note of the areas he hit,” said Curtis.

“Jacob Colbert (1-15-4) was also very consistent. With it being overcast today, the ball moved around a lot early on — not easy to bat.”

First-drop Hunter Dickson (37 off 38 with six boundaries) and No.4 Ben Vyver (a-run-a-ball 31, five 4s) brought Tauranga home.

“We’ve learned a lot about patience and the value of spending time in the middle — it’s very important,” said Paul Stewart. “That said, the boys are looking forward to playing at the Harry Barker tomorrow. We’ll keep trying to improve.”