Cricket: Wicket takers no big deal if it's tight

Hastings boys’ reps winning the inaugural North Island Year 7-8 cricket tournament trophy, in Napier, yesterday.

Nevermind about conjecture surrounding the bowling composition of the top cricketing nations for the impending ICC World Cup in New Zealand and Australia next month.

It is kind of difficult to go past the simple philosophy that if every bowler is thrifty then a run chase or total defence becomes elementary, really.

Nowhere is that school of thought more evident than during a cricket match involving youngsters.

Yesterday the Hastings representative age-group boys lent credence to that ideology when they clinically beat North City (Wellington) in the final of the inaugural North Island Year 7-8 Tournament in Napier.

"All the four teams we played against, none of them scored more than 100 runs against our bowling attack," Hasting team parent helper Brad Clark said last night of the team his son, William Clark, captained.

Hastings employed eight bowlers in the final and frugality was the name of their game.

"What was different between our side and other teams was that they had about 2 to 3 bowlers who went for a quite a few.

"If our boys had an off over then they were rested and someone else stepped up," the senior Clark said.

Having won the toss, Hastings elected to bat, mustering 140-4 in 30 overs with Charlie Bayly 45 not out at No 4.

No 5 Guy Reeves added 24, opener Bailey McDonald 17 and No 6 Jack Parker was unbeaten on 12.

In reply, the Wellingtonians lost their wheels in the run chase to be skittled for 99 runs in 26.1 overs.

"You could say the same for our batsmen. Charlie Bayly scored 45 not out today in the final but in the other games he didn't get many so in every game one or two players stood up," Clark said.

The figures of the Hastings bowling attack complements Clark's deduction.

The top four bowlers of Josh Alderton, Gurjes Singh, Hunter Lowe and Clark would have won the appraisal of many budget advisers before Christmas as none of them went too far off the three-an-over mark.

Guy, who was awarded the MVP in the final, was the most thrifty at 2.6 runs an over and had scored 81 in their first game as opener.

"The wickets that fell really came as a result of the pressure the top four bowlers applied on the North City batsmen."

Nevertheless, Clark felt the exhilarating moments during fielding also were pivotal in adding to the sum of factors that led to the side going through undefeated.

Hereworth School's Lindisfarne College-bound Harry Mowat got the kudos for the "brilliant run out that changed the complexion of the game".

Mowat ran out North City opening batsman Micah Conroy for 12 runs.

Campbell Webster (20 runs), Andy Heyer (17) and Aiden Houchen (15) contributed to the visitors' cause but it was in vain.

Webster also was outstanding in bowling, taking 1-8 from five overs while opener Conroy wasn't too far behind with 13-1, including a maiden, from as many overs.

Clark said Hastings, comprising nine Havelock North CC players and three from Cornwall CC, found it "satisfying" to ensure a Hawke's Bay team won the inaugural bragging rights.

Napier also were in the mix but lost a few games.

Clark said the Riverbend Cricket Camp under way as a development tourney was "too easy" for the boys.