OBR hold their nerve in Doleman Cup thriller

CHAMPS AGAIN: OBR defeated Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates by two wickets in a low-scoring and nailbiting final. The Bain Construction OBR team who won a third consecutive Doleman Cup final at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday are, back row (from left): Hamish Evans, Matt Cook, Josh Adams, Kieran Venema, Arun Kurup, Timoti Weir. Front: Matt Henwood, Jonathan Purcell Craig Christophers, Jimmy Holden, Ian Loffler, Cohen Loffler. Picture by Liam Clayton

OBR won the Doleman Cup for the third year in a row after surviving a huge scare from Pirates who were rolled for 82 in 26.1 of the 50-overs final at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.

Bain Construction OBR lost eight wickets before reaching their target.

After the much-vaunted OBR bowling attack of Craig Christophers, Matt Cook, Timoti Weir and Jimmy Holden lived up to their reputation by ripping through the Kevin Hollis Pirates batting line-up, OBR made hard work of making it three Doleman Cup titles in succession.

Apart from opener Scott Hollinshead (28) and Richie Needham (16), it was day to forget for the Pirates batsmen.

Christophers was the chief wicket-taker with 4 for 12 runs off five overs, which included two maidens, while Cook picked up 3-17.

“Timoti and Jimmy did a great job with their opening spell, bowling good line and length to keep the pressure on the batsmen,” said a relieved OBR skipper Jonathan Purcell, who admitted the nerves were fraying as Pirates staged a tremendous fightback.

“Cookie came on and took two wickets in his first over, which set us up.

“Craig then tied up one end, while taking wickets, while Timoti came on at the other end to finish them off.”

Chasing 83 to win should have been a doddle to the experienced OBR batting line-u. But Pirates had other ideas.

“Believe it or not we actually thought we could win it,” said captain Brad Reynolds, who was “rapt” with the way his team made a game of it.

“Even allowing for the way OBR bowled, and that explains why they went through the competition unbeaten, we were disappointed with the way we batted.

“But we felt if they could bowl us out for 82 we could still go on to win the cup.

“I’m really proud of the way we attacked them and made them work for their victory. Maybe another 10 or 20 runs could have made the difference.”

Were OBR too complacent as they came out to bat?

“I don’t think so,” said Purcell.

“We have a lot of players who have had plenty of finals experience and they know it’s not over until you put the runs on the board.

“You have to give credit to Pirates. They attacked us from the first ball and I was never so glad to see those winning runs (a four from Matt Henwood, who finished seven not out, along with Holden on 4no).

“Winning the first trophy of the season is a great way to start Christmas,”

Pirates needed early wickets and Ryan Nepe, in his first final for the Buccaneers, obliged. He bowled the district’s top batsman, Christophers, for five, with the score at seven, with the first ball of the second over.

Nepe followed that by knocking over the stumps of OBR’s most experienced player, Ian Loffler, with the last delivery of his second over.

Weir became Nepe’s third victim when he was caught by Reynolds and OBR were reeling at 3-13.

Purcell and opener Kieran Venema steadied the innings by adding 12 runs when Needham cleaned out Purcell.

Venema and Hamish Evans advanced the score to 39 where Nepe captured his fourth wicket, bowling Venema.

With five wickets in hand and 44 runs required for victory, OBR needed someone to step up and get their side back in this game.

That turned out to be their youngest player, 18-year-old Josh Adams at No.7.

Adams and Evans put on 17 runs to take the score to 56 — 17 needed to win — when Nepe claimed his fifth wicket; Evans trapped leg before wicket for 14.

Arun Karup joined Adams and they added another 17 runs before Kurup was bowled by Dan Torrie with the final delivery of the 21st over.

When Torrie dismissed Adams, who topscored with 18, OBR were 8-76. Holden then joined Henwood and despite some lively and vocal appeals, carried OBR to victory.

“Josh Adams’ innings was the turning point,” said Purcell. “Seventeen runs is not a lot but in the context of this game and the position we were in, it was a huge innings.

“Josh batted way beyond his 18 years and along with Hamish and Arun, we got there. It may not have been a high-scoring game but it was a fantastic finish to the final.”