A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Well might Campion cricket fans wonder — what just happened and how did we do it?
Campion College beat the Gisborne Boys' High School Blues and Royals by 18 runs wiith 13 balls remaining in a big finish to the Challenge Cup season opener on Wednesday.
Three Boys' High batsmen were run out in the space of three overs after GBHS were well-placed to win the nine-a-side T20 game with the score 91-1, 13.1 overs into the chase for 131. Nothing puts a brake on — or the skids under — an innings like run-outs, and the GBHS batsmen's judgement of a run was as much a factor as Taye McGuinness's quickness to swoop for Campion.
The game was eventful from the first.
Campion captain Connor Starck — winner of their MVP (most valuable player) award — won the toss, chose to bat on the artificial pitch at Nelson Park No.5 and was bowled first ball of the match — off his pads, for a royal duck — by tearaway fast bowler Archer Allen, who took 1-17 off three overs.
Campion's recovery from that was led by wicketkeeper-batsman Daniel Baillie (25) from first-drop — his second quality knock against GBHS teams in as many games — and No.4 Aidan Armstrong (33), who hit the loose delivery hard.
Leg-spinner Conrad Parkes was the pick of the Boys' High bowlers with 1-13 in three overs, flighting the ball skilfully and turning the ball appreciably.
Blues and Royals captain Nathaniel Fearnley dominated the first round with the bat. His unbeaten 76 from No.1 was the best knock in either Challenge Cup game in terms of technique. His opening partner, another good gloveman, Charlie Castles (23), also impressed as a very correct player, strong on the back foot.
That said, the most memorable stroke in the Blues and Royals innings was a tremendous pull-shot for four played by No.8 Anaru Lucas. He was the third and last Boys' High batsman to be run out after the dismissals of first Allen and then Eruera Lucas (elder brother of Anaru), both without scoring.
Campion left-arm medium-pacer Joe Singh was named as their MVP with the return of 2-17 in three overs. He is steady, tidy and can do a fair bit with the ball both in the air and off the pitch.
Campion game-day coach Rhys Grogan said: “Our boys bowled very well, kept their extras to a minimum and were excellent in the field.”
IT is a safe bet that Tairawhiti Women's Cricket Club will bounce back hard from a tough Round 1 loss.
A talented, if young, girls' side lost to GBHS The Admiralty by eight wickets on Nelson Park No.2.
Admiralty captain Malsha Mahabalage won the toss and chose to bowl first. His side dismissed the Grace Levy/Grace Kuil-led women for 91 in 15.2 overs.
Levy and Kuil give stability and capacity to the TWCC outfit. In the Round 2 clash with the Boys' Life Guards last season, Kuil hit 21 boundaries — including two sixes — on her way to 105 off 53 balls. She slayed the GBHS bowling attack that day as only another Northern Districts rep, Moana McLelland, had done before in the former C Grade.
On Wednesday night, only Levy got going with the bat for the women, with a fine 44 from 40 balls. She hit one six and five fours from No.1, and was the MVP for TWCC. Like Kuil, she thumps the ball and plays the cut-shot fiercely.
Jonah Reynolds was MVP for The Admiralty. He took 1-11 bowling at a fair pace over two overs, the second of which was a maiden — the first and only one bowled in the Challenge Cup so far.
Reynolds, batting at No.2, made 41 in 36 balls with three fours and one six before he was finally winkled out, caught by Helen Evans at short third man off the deceptive bowling of left-armer Neve Loffler (one wicket for two runs in three balls).
Mahabalage saw The Admiralty home with an unbeaten 36 off 42 at first-drop. He was greatly assisted in organising his crew on and off the field by vice-captain Jett Whitaker; both are keen students of the game.
TWCC coach Mel Knight said: “The quality of cricket played was better than I'd anticipated. The boys didn't run twos that they might well have made. The girls showed them how that should be done.”