Premier club cricket opening wins to Gisborne HSOB, Horouta

High School Old Boys and Horouta started the 2025-2026 Poverty Bay Premier club cricket season with victories in the opening round of the Doleman Cup competition at Harry Barker Reserve.

Jagroop Singh and Taye McGuinness led their teams to wins in the opening round of Poverty Bay Premier cricket’s Doleman Cup 40-overs competition on Saturday.

Singh’s Moshim’s Spice Horouta - who completed the grade’s triple crown in winning the Doleman Cup, DJ Barry Cup and Walker Shield last season - beat Coastal Concrete OBR by seven wickets.

McGuinness’ fresh-faced Bollywood High School Old Boys defeated Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI by 60 runs.

Singh, the spearhead of Te Waka’s bowling attack, took two wickets for 12 runs off six overs, Teghbir Singh was penetrative and deadly accurate in his 4-14 off 7.5 overs and medium pacer Manish Velega picked up 3-10 off 3.

OBR veteran Jimmy Holden, batting at No 10, topscored with 14 in his team’s total of 75 in 26.5 overs. Jonah Reynolds (11) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Horouta cruised home in 14.5 overs, courtesy of a run-a-ball 40 from second-drop Gautam Sareen and Velega’s unbeaten 12.

Skipper Singh, who won an important coin toss on the representative wicket, said: “The boys were outstanding ... we stuck to our game plan with disciplined bowling, sharp fielding and then a composed run chase with the bat. What I’m really proud of is the way in which everyone contributed to the win.”

Teenyboppers New Kids on the Block were all the rage in the 1980s. And while none of HSOB’s current line-up were alive when NKOTB was on song, the young crew played well enough to beat the Steve Whitaker-coached GBHS on HBR 1.

Several of the HSOB outfit have just finished their secondary school years and were up against players they were alongside last season.

HSOB chose to bowl after winning the toss and recently named Gisborne Boys’ High School Dux Nathaniel Fearnley responded superbly for the blue and whites.

Fearnley took 4-11 off five overs (including the wicket of younger brother Brandon), held a sharp catch at backward point to dismiss opening bat Jordyn Haley and made a crucial 24 in 35 balls as opener.

Boys’ High were bowled out for 74 in 19.1 overs in pursuit of HSOB’s 134 in 32.5 overs.

Anthony Boyder was in blazing form with the bat for HSOB. He smashed 38 off 28, including four fours and two sixes, and later claimed 2-5 from one over.

Former GBHS skipper Riker Rolls nabbed 2-5 off his five overs.

Johnathon Gray had a good match all-round for the students with 22 not out off 29 balls at No 7, and 1-14 off six overs with the new cherry.

Only Gray made a score of consequence, although Boys’ High captain-on-debut and left-arm orthodox spinner Charlie Whitfield (2-21 off six) can be pleased with his bowlers’ showing first-up.

Opening bowler Brandon Fearnley made a promising start with 2-18 off five and another tall seamer, Robbie Newlands, got 2-17 off three.

“It was a good GBHS fielding display and we bowled well from both ends,” Whitfield said. “The batting will improve with game time. We’ve learnt from this game.”

HSOB face Horouta and GBHS play OBR in round 2 from midday Saturday.

Scoreboard

Poverty Bay Premier Grade, Doleman Cup, round 1

Moshim’s Spice Horouta 77-3 off 14.5 overs (Gautam Sareen 40, Manish Velega 12 not out; Karan Solanki 1-6 off 1 over, Jonah Reynolds 1-17 off 4) def Coastal Concrete OBR 75 all out in 26.5 overs (Jimmy Holden 14, Jonah Reynolds 12; Maneesh Velega 4-14 off 7.5, Jagroop Singh 2-12 off 6.2) by 7wkts.

Bollywood High School Old Boys 134-8 off 32.5 overs (Anthony Boyder 38, Nathaniel Fearnley 24; Robbie Newlands 2-17 off 3, Brandon Fearnley 2-18 off 5, Charlie Whitfield 2-21 off 6) def Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI 74 in 19.1 overs (Johnathon Gray 22no; Nathaniel Fearnley 4-11 off 5.1 overs, Riker Rolls 2-5 off 5, Anthony Boyder 2-5 off 1) by 60 runs.