A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
It was a low-scoring game of nervous tension.
But Heyan Ranasinghe's Horouta rejoined the winner's circle on Saturday with their 29-run win against 2019 Senior B cricket champions Ngatapa at Harry Barker Reserve.
Also in Round 12 of the six-team race for the Hope Cup, Old Boys Rugby had a seven-wicket victory over Campion College to take over from Ngatapa as competition leaders.
High School Old Boys Presidents scored 185-6 and restricted Gisborne Boys' High School to 183-6 in a thriller. However, Boys' High took three competition points due to a technical breach of playing conditions relating to player eligibility.
Coastal Ultrasound Horouta captain Ranasinghe said his side's win — their third of the season — was their best effort so far this season.
“I'm very happy with that performance, especially our fielding,” he said. “Everyone fielded superbly.”
Ranasinghe, himself, held two catches.
He had won the toss and chosen to bat. Horouta were dismissed for 95 in 21.1 overs.
Ngatapa seamer Angus Orsler took five wickets for 11 runs off six overs. It was the only five-wicket bag of Round 12.
Top run-scorer for Horouta was Piumal Madusanka, who made 28 in 34 balls at No.9.
Enter Hasantha Vithanage. Vithanage took 3-5 off six overs, three of which were maidens. Fellow medium-pacer Etienne Botes took 2-6 off four.
The Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps were bowled out for 66 in 22.2 overs. First-drop Chris Hurlstone made 11 from 21 balls.
“It was an amazing bowling effort from Angus,” Green Caps captain Mike Gibson said.
“Then we just tried something different with our batting order that didn't come off . . . just a shame we tuned out a bit and didn't reward Angus's bowling effort with a win.
“We're hoping to get the most out of him this season before the premier-grade teams try to poach him off us next season.”
With this result, OBR — who joined the competition in Round 2 — have gone to the top of the table. They and Ngatapa have 22 points, Bollywood High School Old Boys have 16, GBHS 10, and Horouta and Campion each have seven.
Campion, who will have regular captain Liam Spring back from injury this weekend, lost to OBR by seven wickets on Saturday, but not for lack of effort.
Cam Rowell, deputising for Spring, won the toss and elected to bat. The college reached 141 all out in 22.5 overs.
Big left-hander Daryl Dunn hit two sixes and four fours in his 34-ball innings of 39, but 16-year-old Blake Marshall's 38 off 41 balls (coming in one spot after Dunn at No.5) was a top knock from the young all-rounder. He timed the ball through the covers and down the ground excellently, catching up, too, with the ball on his pads.
Deevon Gray (4-42 off 5.5 overs), skipper Craig Christophers (3-8 off four) and Amit Vyas (2-38) complement each other well as seam bowlers. The secret of their success lies in the way they keep the ball up to the bat.
“Our total of 141 wasn't enough,” Campion player-coach Mark Naden said.
“Daryl, Blake and Hayden Swann (18no from No.11) batted really well but we were bowled out and missed the possible extra runs.”
Christophers was pleased with the total involvement of his players — for example, Vyas holding two catches in addition to his efforts with the ball — and their ability to take stock following a glitch.
“Apart from one wee hiccup the run-chase was under control.”
They made a rough start to the season.
But the Daniel Stewart-led Gisborne Boys' High School team seem to have turned a corner, having performed well since the resumption.
HSOB captain Isaac Hughes withdrew an appeal for a run-out against Cohen Loffler (who as non-striker backing up had prematurely left his crease, with bowler Nathan Quimpo yet to deliver the ball). In so doing, HSOB demonstrated fine sportsmanship.
GBHS Year 9 student Alex Shanks had earlier made the most of an opportunity to play, afforded him by Hughes, with 27no off 38 balls from No.7.
HSOB batted first, making 185-6 in 30 overs. HSOB second-drop Finn Aitcheson top-scored in the match with a 65-ball innings of 72 that included a six and 11 fours.
First-drop Israel Turner (28) and left-handed opener Jody Walters (24) were also busy in the middle.
For GBHS, captain and off-spinner Stewart (4-38 off six overs), seamer Nathan Trowell (1-21) and opening bowler Max Briant (1-24) toiled manfully in the heat. The gutsy fielding support they received included Year 9 student Kelan Bryant's effort in making 15 metres to his right to hold a high catch at long-on off hard-hitting No.5 Jeff Chambers (13).
The Boys' High opening pair of Cohen Loffler (48 off 42) and Max Briant (49 off 52) gave their team a fine start. They were 91-1 in 13.3 overs.
Classy No.3 Trowell (22 off 40) and energetic Sebastian Wilson (22 from 16) at No.6 rallied the middle order. They played their shots and ran hard between wickets.
For HSOB, left-arm orthodox spinner Ryan Majstrovic (2-36) was a central figure. His loop and accuracy tested the footwork of batsmen, their ability to get to the pitch of the ball and keep shape in the shot. Earlier, outswing bowler Mahmood Khan (1-20) and bustling seamer Walters (1-21) had impressed. Khan's wicket-to-wicket line and change of pace demanded respect. GBHS reached 183-6.
Stewart said: “We bowled and fielded OK but batted brilliantly. It was our best game of the season so far, by far.”
Hughes praised the quality of the pitch and lightning-fast outfield on HBR 1, adding: “We were nervous at the break in the second innings but managed to take wickets on a regular basis after that, which affected Boys' High's momentum.”
