Cricket: Pirates, Old Boys top ladder

BOP Indian Sports reserves player Di John playing against Central reserves at the weekend. Photo / Ben Fraser

The semifinalists have been found in the Rotorua/Taupo senior cricket reserve grade.

The last round-robin matches were played at the weekend, with undefeated sides Eastern Pirates and Taupo Old Boys finishing first and second respectively on the ladder.

Eastern Pirates (Rotorua) will now play Central reserves at Smallbone Park on Saturday, in the first semifinal, while Old Boys will host Bay of Plenty Indian Sports reserves (Rotorua) in Taupo.

The pre-Christmas, 40-over competition is the first of three competitions held during the reserve grade season, and is followed by the T20 and after-Christmas competitions.

Taupo Wanderers won the pre-Christmas competition last year but have since pulled out of the reserve grade after defaulting a few games.

In the last round of play, Taupo Colleges almost upset Eastern Pirates after batting first and scoring 154 all out. Eastern Pirates looked steady in reply at 100/3, but lost a handful of wickets in quick succession to be struggling at 121/7.

Pirates then showed why they are top of the ladder with a good partnership to close out the match without losing another wicket.

In the other game, Central reserves lost to Bay of Plenty Indian reserves. However, both teams have still qualified for the playoffs.