Cricket: Napier Tech win T20 comp, eye greater prizes

Napier Tech are hungry for more after winning the Murray McKearney Memorial Cup on Sunday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier Technical Old Boys Cricket Club's premier men's side got their first trophy of the year on the weekend, and they are keen to add some more silverware before the season wraps up too.

The team won the Twenty20 Murray McKearney Memorial Cup on Sunday at Nelson Park in Napier, chasing down Havelock North Cricket Club's score of 90 down in 13.1 overs in the final.

Craig Findlay scored 26 as an opener, before Izaiah Lange (39*) and Matt Edmondson (22*) guided their side home comfortably.

Tech defeated Central Hawke's Bay by 23 runs earlier on Sunday in the semifinal, and club president David Caldwell said it was nice to beat them having lost the T20 Laver & Wood Trophy final last December.

Caldwell said the team have relied on their youth and depth this year following the retirements of Stevie Smidt, Liam Rukuwai and Kieran Noema-Barnett.

"It has been very much a transition year for us from the old guard to the new guard really," he said.

Caldwell added that yesterday's result justified the team's selection to represent Central Districts at the NZ National Club Cricket Championship without any playoffs.

"When we're at full strength we are probably the best T20 side in Hawke's Bay."

Napier Tech will head to Auckland in April as the two-time defending national champions, after last year's edition of the T20 competition was cancelled due to Covid.

Tech are also well placed to contend for the local 50-over MJF Shrimpton Memorial Cup with three rounds left before the finals.

"We are very keen to keep our streak of overall championships going, which is a record-breaking eight at present and we want to make it nine," Caldwell said.