Boys’ High batted first after winning the toss and had mixed results. Some batsmen found their groove on the tricky pitch, while others struggled to generate momentum.
OBR captain Ian Loffler said that despite first impressions, the pitch played remarkably well with consistent bounce that came on to the bat well.
“It was the best pitch we’ve played on all year.”
Trowell said OBR were able to get more out of the pitch, which had “got a bit better and settled down a little bit more” by the time OBR batted.
Graham Sharp opened the batting for Boys’ High and quickly established the tone. He looked dangerous as he cruised to a half-century before being dismissed, leg before wicket, by Jonathan Purcell for 53.
Unfortunately for Boys’ High, Sharp’s batting partners couldn’t find their form. Opener Luke Fisher was caught behind by Kieren Venema off Paul Stewart’s bowling in the second over and his replacement at the crease, Te Reimana Gray, scored three runs off 30 deliveries.
The young batsmen were clearly having trouble despite their proven ability with the bat.
OBR were without opening bowler Jimmy Holden, but their strength in depth stood them in good stead as they restricted the Boys’ High scoring.
Their bowling attack used the pitch well with a targeted line and length that allowed only 10 wides and a single no-ball in the 40 overs.
After the fall of Sharp, Boys’ High were 90-4 and — with 15 overs remaining — had a lot of work to do to put up a competitive total.
They were on the ropes until Max Briant came in at No.7 and hit a rapid 47 runs off 44 balls.
He was bowled agonisingly short of his half-century by Andrews with the last ball of the penultimate over of the innings.
Handy partnerships of 25 runs with both Cohen Loffler and Sam Wilson, and 22 runs with Travis O’Rourke provided a late resurgence that pushed Boys’ High to 180 in their 40 overs.
Boys’ High lost their 10th wicket in their final delivery in a wildly optimistic attempt to run for two.
Trowell said he was happy they had posted a competitive total.
“We lost our way with the bowling a little bit, and finding someone (to bowl)into the wind.
“The energy was a little bit down in the field, but there was nothing like a dropped catch that was going to change the game.”
He said Andrews batted well and didn’t give them any opportunities to take his wicket early.
“We didn’t get the ball to swing, and it was always going to be tough when that didn’t happen.
“All credit to them. They were good; better than us.”
OBR’s innings was mostly one-way traffic as Andrews and Stewart piled on 77 runs at almost six runs an over in their opening partnership to put the game out of reach of Boys’ High.
The OBR batting line up picked apart Boys’ High early. They found large gaps with ease and punished the bad deliveries with boundaries.
After Daniel Stewart caught Andrews off Josiah Turner’s bowling, OBR lost their composure and several quick wickets.
Despite a late flurry of dismissals, it was a story of “too little, too late”.
OBR had all but secured the title as Andrews made his walk back to the changing rooms.
With 17 overs remaining, they had only 40 runs to get. OBR got a little bit complacent before Venema and Nick Greeks combined for a 30-run partnership to steer their team to victory.
Greeks had left the field with a leg injury in the students’ innings and batted down the line-up as he struggled to run between the wickets carrying a limp.
Despite the injury, Greeks managed 22 runs in an innings that included a six on to the pavilion roof off a no-ball delivery and a four off the subsequent free hit.
OBR eventually cruised to victory in the 35th over, with four wickets in hand, to lift the Doleman Cup and start the party.
Loffler said the victory was a reflection of the team culture they had cultivated and he was proud to have captained such a “good bunch of guys”.
It was clear to see the hard yards Trowell and the senior players had put in to help bring a competitive Boys’ High side back into the premier grade, he said.
“Those guys will learn from the game,” Loffler said.
“They’ll get some experience and get a bit stronger . . . a lot of credit goes to Mal (Trowell) for what he has done with the team.”
(Graham Sharp 53, Max Briant 47, Josiah Turner 21; Jonathan Purcell 3-37, Paul Stewart 2-22) lost to (Cody Andrews 77, Nick Greeks 22; Josiah Turner 2-19, Daniel Stewart 2-30, Liam Barbier 2-31) by four wickets.