Poverty Bay club cricket: Ngātapa, HSOB set for battle in Gisborne Hope Cup final

High School Old Boys diehard Glen Udall will lead his Presidents into Hope Cup final battle against Ngātapa at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. Udall, pictured in Premier Grade action a few seasons ago, is predominantly a Reserve Grade player these days, but has stepped up when needed. Photo / Paul Rickard

Ngātapa are in a good place ahead of the biggest game of the Poverty Bay Reserve Grade competition on Saturday.

The Charles Morrison-led Pioneer Ngātapa Green Caps go into the Hope Cup 30-overs final on a high, having comfortably beaten Moshim’s Spice Horouta Te Waka Presidents by seven wickets at Harry Barker Reserve last Saturday.

It booked them a place in the final against Bollywood High School Old Boys Presidents (HSOB), who defeated the Gisborne Boys’ High School Second XI (GBHS) by 47 runs.

Ngātapa put the squeeze on Horouta from the start after Te Waka skipper Riley Horsfield won the toss and his crew took first knock.

Seamer Hoffman Haasbroek (three wickets for eight runs off four overs) and off-spinner Archie Gillies (1-11-3) led the way as the Green Caps dismissed their opponents for 43 in 13.4 overs.

First drop Lucky Singh (12) was the only batter to score in double figures.

Ngātapa took just six overs to reach their target. They lost both openers Jacque Davis (14) and Brent Gallagher (6), but George Whitehead (9 not out) saw them home.

Horsfield (1-24-4) and the feisty Amit Vyas (2-12-3) took wickets for Te Waka.

Morrison was pleased with his team’s overall standard, pointing out that quiet achiever Haasbroek was involved in eight dismissals.

HSOB, under the captaincy of Glen Udall, did what they had to do to seal their final berth.

Despite a superb spell of off-spin bowling by co-captain Kobe Donnelly (5-34-5.3), an unbeaten half-century by adult player Mike Hope (54 in 47 balls) and a gutsy 31 by Harvey Reynolds at the top of the order chasing Presidents’ 167, GBHS were dismissed for 120 in 25.3 overs.

Udall won the toss, opted to bat and three of HSOB’s best old hands put runs on the board.

Jeff Chambers, at No 5, made 38 off 36, first-drop Nathan Quimpo made 27 and Udall 21 retired out in 20 balls at No 7.

Those contributions proved invaluable after GBHS co-captain Cody McMurray (1-27-6) and Year 9 student Finnbar Whitfield (1-26-6) made a solid start with the new ball, and first-change paceman Jed Reynolds conceded only two runs in two overs.

Co-captain Donnelly’s wicked arm ball rattled the stumps of opener Jak Rowe (13), Chambers and 10th man in Ben Bristow (5), while Jed Martyn picked up 2-23-3.

With Udall having retired out three balls into the 26th over, the Blues were effectively 6-147 and the first innings closed with three balls remaining when Bristow went.

Seddon club Kindred cricketer Hope, Mike MacLeod and Nic Shand have done a great deal coaching-wise for Ilminster Intermediate in recent years to bring through such promising Year 9 all-rounders as the 2nd XI’s Whitfield, Charlie Hope and Martyn.

As was the case with current GBHS First XI head coach Steve Whitaker as an adult player for the seconds team two years ago, Hope’s involvement with the side is a great thing.

“I think we played our best game against HSOB today,” Donnelly said. “Harvey and Mike helped get us close and our bowling was the best it’s been all season. Our boys improved a lot.”

Udall concurred and has turned his eye towards the final against Ngātapa at 2pm on HBR 1.

“We love playing them. HSOB and Ngātapa have a strong connection off the field and a healthy respect for each other on it. We’re capable of beating each other, so nothing will be taken for granted and the victors will be over the moon. It will be a good advertisement for cricket, with two strong teams going head to head.”

Premier 30-over final: GBHS v Horouta

A Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI with a head of steam up are Premier Grade 30-over final-bound, but Moshim’s Spice Horouta captain James Birrell welcomed the prospect of battle at 1pm tomorrow on HBR 2.

“We’re ready to get one back on them,” Birrell said. “For us, it’s time for redemption in the final.”

The Steve Whitaker-coached First XI have played The Waka five times this season and have won the three closest games between them, including the DJ Barry Cup 40-over final last Saturday.

“We need to score heavily with the bat ... get at least 150 and then put pressure on their key batsmen,” Whitaker said. “The boys are excited to play in another final [having already won the Doleman Cup and D.J. Barry Cup titles] and we hope to end the season on a high.”

Scoreboard

GBHS T20 Challenge Cup, Round 5

GBHS The King’s Own 156-3 (Harvey Reynolds 115, Brandon Chari 10; Kushan Malimage 1 wicket for 8 runs off 2 overs) def GBHS The Blues & Royals 115-2 (Callum McInnes 56 not out, Kushan Malimage 32no; Jed Reynolds 1-20-5, Tristan Walker-Daniels 1-28-3) by 41 runs.

GBHS The Life Guards 140-4 (Pranash Senthooran 35, Cody McMurray 26no, Lachlan Smith 23; Niall Schutte 1-17-2, Zach Kirkpatrick 1-18-3, Tristan Flamwell 1-24-4, Kegan Van Zyl 1-31-5) def GBHS The Admiralty 124 all-out in 16.4 overs (Jack Holden 49, Tristan Flamwell 16, Van Zyl 16; Cody McMurray 3-21-3.4 overs, Finnbar Whitfield 2-26-4, Lachlan Smith 1-19-2) by 4 wickets.