Napier Technical Old Boys premier cricketers finished third at the NZCT National Club Championship in Auckland yesterday.
The Complete Flooring-sponsored side's third-fourth playoff game against Suburbs New Lynn (Auckland) was abandoned just before 3pm due to rain at Cornwall Park CC grounds after NTOB were 154-8 in 27.2 overs ofthe limited-overs competition.
"I'm pretty pleased because we've not been here for a while and we've shown we can beat the best and have had three very good wins," said coach Dale Smidt after the Texans walloped Manukau City (ND) by 209 runs on Saturday to add to the scalps of Kaikorai (Otago).
Former champions NTOB, competing at their seventh nationals, lost their opening match to Eastern Suburbs (Wellington), who were top qualifiers and eventually declared champions after their top-of-the-table abandoned clash against St Albans (Canterbury) was the only game organisers were prepared to persist with.
"The young guys are really excited about coming back here next year again," said Smidt of the side Craig Findlay captained yesterday after Stevie Smidt was named 12th man.
Regular captain Liam Rukuwai didn't play in the tourney despite physiotherapy treatment for a back ailment.
"Our batting let us down a little bit but our field was the best here. We took three stunning catches yesterday [Saturday]," the senior Smidt said. "If Bronson Meehan could have had some time off work it might have been different but we'll never really know," he said of the top-order batsman who can spin.
Smidt said NZ under-19 representative Christian Leopard, batsman Matt Edmondson and seamer Jurgen Anderson "were all great so it looks great for the future".
