Now for the treble

The players are third row from left: Sasha Drain, Arun Kurup, Matt Henwood, Jimmy Holden, Timoti Weir, William Eivers. Second row: Craig Christophers, Josh Adams, Matt Cook, Ian Loffler, Jonathan Purcell. Front: Tama Holden, Jack Holden Neve Loffler and Cohen Loffler. Picture supplied

A man-of-the-match performance from Craig Christophers in last night’s Walker Shield twenty20 final has kept OBR on course for a club trophy title treble.

The Bain Construction OBR opener scored 97 off 65 balls before being run out with two balls remaining as the Doleman Cup champions posted a massive 167-4 against Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates. Christophers, whose knock included 11 fours, then took three wickets for 16 runs from four overs on the Harry Barker Reserve wicket.

Pirates skipper Mitchell Turner conceded the game with his side at 110-6 with 10 balls remaining. It was 8.15pm and players were struggling to see the ball. OBR captain Jonathan Purcell won the toss and chose to bat first.

“Two reasons really,” he said. “It was a good deck to bat first on and we wanted to create some scoreboard pressure while the light was good.”

Christophers, who finished with a strike rate of 149.23, vindicated the decision with an opening stand of 31 with Timoti Weir. When Weir departed, caught by Turner off the bowling of Aku Smith for seven, Ian Loffler joined Christophers and they put on 78 runs in quick time to take the score to 109.

Loffler was caught by Olly Tilley off Turner for 38 runs from 30 balls. Purcell and Christophers continued the plunder, adding 56 runs as OBR set Pirates a daunting target of 168. Christophers was philosophical about being run out three runs short of a deserved century.

“It is what it is; I’m just glad we won,” he said. “With only two balls to go and not being on strike, I told Josh (Adams) I was running no matter what. I just hoped he could get bat on ball but he missed it and I was run out.”

Bowlers on formTurner was the pick of the Pirates bowling with figures of 1-21 off four overs. Brad Reynolds offered support with 1-23 off four. In-form opening bowlers Jimmy Holden and Weir gave their side a tremendous start, conceding only 17 runs in the first five overs.

Already well behind the required run rate, Matt Cook added to Pirates’ troubles when he trapped opener Tilley leg before wicket for 13 and with the score at 22 after 5.3 overs. Reynolds was next to depart, caught by Purcell off Christophers for 11, and the same duo sent Turner (4) back to the pavilion.

Arun Kurup joined the party when he bowled Andrew Ashton (6). With light fading fast, Michael Nielson (2) became Christophers’ third victim, caught behind by Loffler. David Situ (10) followed when caught by Josh Adams off Matt Henwood, leaving Torrie unbeaten on 46 from 36 balls.

“Pity we didn’t have a few more players like Dan, who seemed to have no trouble seeing the ball,” said a teammate.

Sudden death Stars semifinalOBR tomorrow turn their attention to the final leg of the treble — a tricky sudden-death DJ Barry Cup semifinal against the only team to have beaten them this season, Bollywood Stars.

“It’s one-apiece between us and we know the Stars are a good team,” said Purcell.

Stars captain Gary Singh said his side were looking forward to the match..

“We lost the Doleman Cup final to OBR, a game that some thought we should have won but they deserved to win, so we know how tough it will be tomorrow,” said Singh. “If we are to beat them we need our big players to step up and for the rest of the team to make contributions with bat and ball.”

Pirates vs HSOBPirates, who finished top of the table after round-robin play, meet fourth-placed Tamarind High School Old Boys in a game that could go to the wire. Pirates have won two nail-biters against HSOB but in skipper Scott Tallott, HSOB have a potential match-winner. Tallott has not had the best of seasons but a big game from him tomorrow could see his side into the final.

Glen Udall, David Salmon, Ryan Majstrovic, Beau Minogue-Harrison, Matt Jefferd and Mike Francis are also experienced players.

In the Hope Cup bottom four semifinals, favourites Horouta take on an unpredictable Campion College while GBHS 1 play GBHS 2. The school clash pits the father/son combination of Peter and Daniel Stewart (GBHS 2) against Peter’s other son Paul.