Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke’s Bay club cricket: Scrapper’s century lays down the law

Hamish Bidwell
Hawkes Bay Today·
19 Oct, 2025 10:25 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
New Napier Technical Old Boys allrounder Bayley Latter got the new ball and delivered the goods. Photo / HB Cricket

New Napier Technical Old Boys allrounder Bayley Latter got the new ball and delivered the goods. Photo / HB Cricket

– This article is provided courtesy of Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association

Few players in Hawke’s Bay make more of their natural ability than Thomas Zohrab.

The former New Zealand under-19, Nelson and Central Districts A batting allrounder became a fixture in Hawke’s Bay’s men’s representative side last summer.

A nuggety top-order player and more than handy medium-pacer, the 25-year-old Zohrab doesn’t really have the time or patience to muck around at cricket.

A Crown prosecutor and solicitor by trade, Zohrab is a firm believer that you get out of life what you put in.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“If I’m going to play cricket, I’m going to give it 100% and when I’m at work I’ll give that 100%. But, yes, when I am at cricket, I’ll just scrap. I’m not the most talented guy,” Zohrab said.

He’s mightily effective, though, as he showed in making 112 not out as Central Hawke’s Bay opened their 2025/26 MJF Shrimpton Memorial Cup 50-over campaign with an impressive 101-run win over Taradale on Nelson Park No 1.

Zohrab and Angus Schaw put on 230 for the third wicket, to help CHB post 340/7.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Taradale’s reply never gained any great momentum and they’d reached 239/7 by the end of their 50 overs.

“We got off to a bit of a conservative start and then Gus came out and just whacked it pretty much from his first 10 balls and that set the tone,” said Zohrab.

“It meant the field had to go back and I could just manipulate and play really risk-free cricket. I went at run-a-ball, but Angus was certainly instrumental in pushing the field back.”

Schaw hit six sixes and 12 fours in his 102-ball knock of 139 and was among a group of Central Districts Stags stars who underlined their quality, ahead of the Major Association season.

Over at Cornwall Park, Brad Schmulian (81 not out) and William Clark (84 not out) helped Havelock North to a nine-wicket win over Cornwall.

Chasing 224, Havelock cruised to their target with 15 overs to spare.

Taylor Bettelheim (42 off 52) got the visitors off to a fast start and then sat back and watched as Schmulian and Clark methodically chased down what could have been a tricky total.

Cornwall tried hard and created a few half-chances but Clark and Schmulian largely played within themselves, expertly hitting the ball into gaps whenever they felt inclined to lift the tempo.

“A pretty clinical performance with the bat,” Bettelheim said afterwards.

“They [Cornwall] probably got a few more than we would’ve liked but to go out there and do it one down to start the season was pretty pleasing. They [Clark and Schmulian] showed exactly why they’re playing at that level.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It’s a level the 24-year-old Bettelheim aspires to as well.

Born and bred in Tauranga, the right-handed opening batter came to Hawke’s Bay two years ago to try to develop as a person and cricketer. Having been loaned out to Wairarapa for the past two seasons, Bettelheim is available to play for Hawke’s Bay this year.

“The goal is always to go to that next level and play professional cricket. That’s always been the goal since moving down and hopefully that’s achievable at some stage,” said Bettelheim.

Another player for whom a Hawke’s Bay debut is definitely on the agenda is new Napier Technical Old Boys allrounder Bayley Latter.

He would’ve liked to have opened the batting for Tech against Napier Old Boys’ Marist on Nelson Park No 3, but was instead given the new ball.

The offspinner responded with 5-20 in seven overs, to help dismiss Marist for 113. Tech knocked that off in 15.5 overs for the loss of four wickets, with Latter not out at the end alongside player/coach Christian Leopard (57 not out).

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Five-for on debut is always a good introduction to a new club,” a delighted Latter said afterwards.

“It was good to start strong and the ball was coming out of the hand quite well and I made the most of the new ball.”

More than that, this was Latter’s first competitive game of outdoor cricket in 18 months. Having moved to Hawke’s Bay in 2024, the former Manawatū representative had high hopes of impressing in his new hometown. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury put paid to those plans and he had to wait until Saturday to finally show his wares.

The 21-year-old is a New Zealand representative at indoor level, which is where his bond with a number of his new Tech teammates was forged. Now he’d like to cement that further by donning Hawke’s Bay colours.

“Definitely keen. Having previously represented Manawatū, I’m definitely striving for higher honours and to play at the best level I can.”

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

'Safe shopping': CHB retailers back campaign for rainbow-friendly stores

04 Feb 05:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke's Bay Kayak Racing Club: 58 medals at regatta, recognition at national awards

04 Feb 05:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

On a roll: Hastings Meatball Festival returns with bigger menu and big names

04 Feb 05:00 PM

Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

'Safe shopping': CHB retailers back campaign for rainbow-friendly stores
Hawkes Bay Today

'Safe shopping': CHB retailers back campaign for rainbow-friendly stores

Businesses are embracing the campaign aimed at making the LGBTQIA+ community feel safe.

04 Feb 05:00 PM
Hawke's Bay Kayak Racing Club: 58 medals at regatta, recognition at national awards
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke's Bay Kayak Racing Club: 58 medals at regatta, recognition at national awards

04 Feb 05:00 PM
On a roll: Hastings Meatball Festival returns with bigger menu and big names
Hawkes Bay Today

On a roll: Hastings Meatball Festival returns with bigger menu and big names

04 Feb 05:00 PM


Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 
Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP