Victorious debuts by South African duo

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

Poverty Bay’s new South African cricketers Bruce Kerr and Matt Crampton made winning starts for High School Old Boys and Pirates respectively with unbeaten knocks in Doleman Cup play at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday.

Kerr topscored with 77 not out as Bollywood HSOB beat Gisborne Boys’ High School by eight wickets.

Crampton was on 22 not out as Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates beat last season’s treble winners, Bain Construction OBR, by six wickets.

“It’s a great way to open the season, beating OBR,” said Pirates captain Dane Thompson, who picked up two wickets for 10 runs off seven overs as OBR were restricted to 112 from 40 overs.

Sam Patterson and Tom Needham also did the damage with the ball, each taking three wickets.

“Matt, Tayla Hollis and Richie Needham all chipped in, and getting OBR out for 112 set us up.

“Matt’s, a good left-arm spinner and he picked up a wicket at a cost of only 11 runs from his eight overs. He also put his head down and batted sensibily after Scott Hollinshead gave us a great start at the top of the innings.”

Hollinshead’s 41 runs included one six and five fours. He and Baxter Mackay put on 55 runs in an opening stand before Mackay was caught by Arun Kurup off the bowling of Craig Christophers for 12. Hollinshead followed, run out, with no addition to the score.

Tom Needham and Thompson went cheaply as Pirates slumped from 55 without loss to 68-4. But with plenty of overs remaining, Crampton and Brad Reynolds steered the ship home with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 46, Reynolds finishing 18no.

Ian Loffler was the best of the OBR batsmen, scoring 34 runs. After losing four wickets for 56 runs, Loffler and Kurup took the score to 96 when Kurup was caught by Richie Needham off Tom Needham’s bowling for 21.

HSOB made sure there would be no upset in their game with Boys’ High, dismissing the school side for 133 and replying with 134-2.

Opening bowlers Carl Shaw and Inder Singh put the pressure on from the start with tight, accurate bowling. Mark Norris, Parminder Kulaar and David Salmon did the damage later in the innings.

Norris and Kulaar both took three wickets, and David Salmon chipped in with two.

HSOB opener Kerr was dropped twice, and made Boys’ High pay. His knock of 77no came off 63 balls and included three sixes and six fours.

Kerr was all class as he hit the ball to all areas of the Reserve, and he was exceptionally quick between the wickets.

“He’s a very good player,” said HSOB captain Scott Tallott, who was unbeaten on 15. “Teams are not going to want to give any lives to Bruce. He’ll make them pay,” Tallott said.

Kerr lost opening partner Glen Udall with the score at 14, caught brilliantly at first slip off the bowling of Paul Stewart. Kerr and Carl Shaw then put on 72 runs before Shaw departed, bowled by player-coach Josiah Turner, for 24.

Kerr said it was nice to be out in the middle and helping the team win. “I was a bit scratchy for the first 15 balls but after I settled in I enjoyed it.”

After winning the toss, Turner opted to bat first.

“I thought the wicket would be flat and have something in it for our batsmen,” Turner said.

“It didn’t quite work out that way although Paul Stewart (31) and Jack Faulkner (29) got starts.

“We were a bit unlucky but it was good to get our first game under our belts.”

Pirates 114-4 (S Hollinshead 41, M Crampton 22 not out, B Reynolds 18no; J Purcell 2-9, C Christophers 2-12) def OBR 112 (I Loffler 34, A Kurup 21; S Patterson 3-20, T Needham 3-24, D Thompson 2-10) by six wickets.

HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS 134-2 (B Kerr 77no, C Shaw 41, S Tallott 15no) def GISBORNE BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL 133 (P Stewart 31, J Faulkner 29; P Kulaar 3-22, M Norris 3-23, D Salmon 2-25) by eight wickets.