Pirates inflict OBR’s first loss of season

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

OBR’s unbeaten run in all forms of the game this season was ended by Pirates in round 5 of the Walker Shield twenty20 competition at Harry Barker Reserve.

Pirates posted 140-5, then restricted their opponents to 137-8.

Dane Thompson celebrated his second game for Pirates this season, and a return to the Poverty Bay team, with a top score of 55, off 52 balls, including eight fours.

Dan Torrie contributed a valuable 33 from 28 deliveries before being run out on the third last ball of the last over.

Craig Christophers and Kieran Venema gave OBR a flying start with an opening stand of 73 off eight overs.

After Venema was bowled by Torrie for 31, Christophers went on to top score with 43 before being caught by Scott Hollinshead off Richie Needham, as OBR fell four runs short of victory.

It was tough going for a Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11 depleted by injuries and players unavailable against High School Old Boys, who won by 131 runs.

HSOB won the toss, batted first and made 188-8.

They have four excellent stroke-makers in captain Scott Tallott, left-handed Carl Shaw, the busy Ajay Kumar and now-police constable David Salmon, despite him being run out for by GBHS captain Drew Scott for three.

Opener Shaw’s 63, first-drop Tallott’s 37 and No.5 Kumar’s 57 were all excellent innings.

Boys’ High were bowled out for 57 in 12.3 over. In-form wicketkeeper-batsman Matt McNeil, following knocks of 82, 42, 21, was stumped by Tallott off Salmon’s off-spin for 12 — the highest individual score by a GBHS player on the night.

Salmon took 3-23 off four overs and left-arm orthodox spinner Ryan Majstrovic 2-5 off two.

Jack Faulkner was the best of the Boys’ High bowlers with 3-20 from four overs.

“It was good to see AJ (Kumar) score runs for the first time this season. He struck the ball well,” said Tallot. “For Boys’ High, it was a struggle, with players missing, injured and unable to bowl.

“But their heads didn’t drop. They stuck at it in the field. A few unlucky dismissals with the bat didn’t help.”

Horouta beat Campion College by nine wickets, Tulsha Balat collecting five wickets.