NTOB premier men's cricket team celebrate after breaking a 112-year-old record of winning the Challenge Cup five times in a row, since 1905. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
NTOB premier men's cricket team celebrate after breaking a 112-year-old record of winning the Challenge Cup five times in a row, since 1905. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Records are made to be broken and Napier Technical Old Boys have smashed one that stood for more than a century in Hawke's Bay.
"That was the fifth time we've won it in a row, something that was done 112 years ago," NTOB coach Dale Smidt said after the BigBarrel-sponsored team beat Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay by seven wickets in round nine of the MJF Shrimpton Memorial Cup 50-over competition at Ongaonga on Saturday.
Smidt said the historic occasion wasn't lost on the Texans who had focused on it all summer, after claiming the T20 crown the previous weekend.
Also for the record, NTOB have clinched the Challenge Cup nine times in the past decade, only losing it in 2011.
In 1905 a team called United claimed that feat but little is known about whether they hailed from Hastings or Napier although their archrivals were Scinde, of Napier, which is synonymous with Napier Boys' High School as well as darts, soccer and hockey teams.
The tightness of the limited-overs competition is reflected in the bottle-neck situation to make playoffs with one round left to play this Saturday.
Should NTOB beat Bayley's Real Estate Havelock North they will become top qualifiers but the Texans will need Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall to beat hosts You Travel Taradale.
However, a loss to Tech, if Cornwall beat Dale, will mean the Texans will qualify fourth.
Smidt agreed winning the 50-over title would round off NTOB's summer of plenty, considering Cornwall are the only other team to win a title - the 55-over one.
Taradale have replaced Havelock North on the top rung of the table with a three-wicket victory on Saturday and a marginally better net run rate.
Wicketkeeper Luke Kenworthy, who top scored for his side with 61 runs, said they were peaking at the right time and were keen to retain the one-day title.
"I think we've managed to gain a bit more control with the ball," said Kenworthy of veteran Luke Wright and Ben Stoyanoff making life difficult for batsmen with economical spinners.
Dale took an aggressive stance which paid off in the run chase after Brad Schmulian carved up another century for the villagers.
Kenworthy said the Aucklander was having a stellar summer with Havelock after they lost Graeme Tryon to Wellington.
Dale have also valued their South African import allrounder Dean Foxcroft. The teenager came just before Christmas but will stay in Napier this year.
Cornwall overwhelmed The Station Napier Old Boys' Marist by 73 runs at Nelson Park, Napier.
