Cricket: Taupo Old Boys save season with win

Indian Sports player Umesh Morarji in action on Saturday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Taupo Old Boys have earned some redemption after winning the biggest prize in the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade.

Old Boys defeated BOP Indian Sports (Rotorua) by about 100 runs on Saturday in wet conditions at Smallbone Park. The post-Christmas, 40-over final was the last piece of silverware on offer in the reserve grade and also the most prestigious.

Old Boys went into the final looking to redeem themselves after losing to Indian Sports in a nail-bitting T20 final a month ago. They did just that, scoring 245/7 in their allotted overs. Roger Urbhan was Taupo's top scorer with a quick-fire 52.

Indian Sports lost too many wickets during their chase and were removed for 141 to hand Old Boys the victory. Frano Alison bowled well for Taupo to finish with figures of 3/38.

Indian Sports captain Shonit Chandra said he was still proud of his lads, who only lost one game this side of Christmas.

"I'm not disappointed, my boys have done very good this season," he said.

Chandra said it was a useful toss to win for Taupo, as the rain came down for most of the first innings, making it tough to handle the ball.

"Taupo won the toss and elected to bat," he said. "It was raining for most of their turn at bat ... and it was quite tough to keep the ball dry. But we said it's better to play than to call it off."

Earlier this season, Eastern Pirates (Rotorua) won the pre-Christmas competition and Indian Sports won the T20 competition.

- Taupo Old Boys 245/7 (Roger Urbhan 52; Shonit Chandra 2/31, Lokesh Gahlan 2/36) defeated BOP Indian Sports 141 (Lokesh Gahlan 36; Frano Alison 3/38)