Cricket: Hastings Boys' extend streak

The Hastings Boys' High School cricket team who won the Napier Boys' High School Invitation Colts tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Photo / Supplied

The Hastings Boys' High School Colts cricket team has once again completed an unbeaten run at the annual Napier Boys High School Invitation Colts tournament played last week.

The contest's trophy is played for using a Ranfurly Shield-type format where the holder of the trophy has to defend it every game they play during the event. Hastings Boys won all four of their games this year against New Plymouth Boys, St Pats Silverstream, Francis Douglas Memorial College and Palmerston North Boys High to be the only undefeated team and to retain the trophy.

"The boys get on well together and have a lot of fun but when it comes down to the hard work out on the field they have a real spirit and are a pleasure to coach," coach Dan Harper said.

"After having qualified as the Central Districts representative at the NZCT NZ Finals in Palmerston North earlier in the year and won the Hawke's Bay Colts competition our final goal for the year was to go through this tournament unbeaten again and to retain the trophy.

"We have achieved all of our goals for 2014 and the boys should be very proud of their achievements this year," Harper explained.

The win this year continues a fantastic winning streak for the school with this the fourth year in a row they have gone through the tournament unbeaten and retained the trophy.

"We beat Palmy Boys on December 2, 2010 and have not been beaten since that date in this tournament. That totals 14 wins, a tie and two rained off games last year, as part of the streak. In this type of tournament and on the pitches at Napier Boys it is not at all easy," HBHS teacher in charge of cricket Trent Miller said.

Miller pointed out the school's cricket programme had attracted many boys to the school and their cricketing success had transferred into academic success as well. During the winning streak Hastings Boys have beaten Palmerston North Boys High four times in a row.

Many of the boys in the current Colts team and previous winning teams have gone on to represent Hawke's Bay and Central Districts in age group cricket and this trend does not look like stopping anytime soon. HBHS has 16 Hawke's Bay reps in various school teams.

School principal Rob Sturch was on the boundary several times during the week and said it was difficult to walk away from watching the cricket to write and review school reports.

"I found myself staying for another 10 minutes and another 10 minutes and so on as the quality of cricket being played was fantastic ... we are all very proud of their success."