Cricket: Big hits aplenty in Rotorua/Taupo Twenty20

Geyser City John Paul College Old Boys batsman Sam Kelly is bowled out during the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade Twenty20 competition on Saturday. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade cricketers had a chance for a hit-out before the 40-over competition restarts with some Twenty20 games at the weekend.

The Bay of plenty Indians, who recently won the New Zealand Indian Sports Association national cricket title, won both games.

Ajay Kumar scored 54 not out to lead his side to a total of 111 runs and victory against Geyser City Western Heights High School Old Boys, who scored 108. The best of the Geyser WHHS bowlers was Joe O'Donoghue who took one wicket for just nine runs. Richard Downs top-scored for the Geyser side with 56 not out and Bay of Plenty Indians bowlers Neeraj Kumar (4/21) and Akash Patel (2/9) did the damage with the ball.

In their first game, 98 runs was enough for Bay of Plenty Indians to beat Taupo Old Boys, who scored 96. Neeraj Kumar scored 32 runs and Ajay Kumar scored 22. In Taupo's innings Frano Allison and Joel Rajek top-scored with 20 and 23 respectively. Indians bowlers Harjinder Singh and Akash Patel took two wickets each.

Geyser WHHS won their other game, scoring 88/2 to beat Central CC who scored 85 all out batting first. Matt Mitchell top-scored for Geyser with 34 runs while Ben Astwood (2/8) and Richard Downs (2/11) were the best of the bowlers.

Taupo Old Boys went down to Geyser City John Paul College Old Boys, who also won two from two on Saturday, in a high-scoring encounter. Taupo batsmen Chris Jackson (68) and Simon Dufty (41) led their side to a total of 151 runs. Geyser JPC bowler Liam Kelly took one wicket for 17 runs. Geyser scored 152 runs, Manny Kumar (36) and Liam Kelly (30) were the top scorers, while Taupo bowler Joel Rajek took two wickets for 29 runs.

In their other game Geyser JPC scored 107 to take down Lake Taupo CC, who scored 106. Taupo's top scorers were Hedley Darlington (39) and Gabe Wills (32), while the best of the Geyser bowlers were Liam Kelly (4/20) and Jono Collier (2/10). Kelly did the job with the bat for Geyser as well, he and Kane Vanner both scored 32 runs. Wills completed a good all-round game for Taupo with three wickets for 20 runs.

Central batsman Nathan Hall claimed the highest score of the tournament, smashing 110 not out to help his side to a total of 211, beating Lake Taupo by a whopping 108 runs.

Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade results

Bay of Plenty Indians - Two wins
Geyser City John Paul College Old Boys - Two wins
Central CC - One win, one loss
Geyser City Western Heights High School Old Boys - One win, one loss
Taupo Old Boys - Two losses
Lake Taupo CC - Two losses