College Sport: Stadium at EGGS part of big plan to catch up

Sam Schofield and Henry Knox of Westlake Boys compete in the 420 event. Photo / Natalie Slade

The first sod being turned at Epsom Girls Grammar tomorrow in front of a host of past sporting stars signals the start of an ambitious $6 million project aimed at providing facilities as good as, or better than, other Auckland schools.

The proud central city school has fallen off the pace as private schools have surged ahead in recent years but this plan aims to level the playing field.

An indoor sports centre is first on the agenda - a state-of-the-art stadium capable of hosting netball and basketball, which have suffered through the lack of a full-size court in the school's almost-70-year-old gymnasium.

A 1983 gymnasium is also woefully way off the standard required and too small for full-sized courts.

Former tennis star Brenda Perry, one of a host of past pupils who have gone on to represent New Zealand at a wide variety of sports, shakes her head at the facilities the pupils use.

Only the swimming pool is modern.

"With over 50 per cent of EGGS pupils participating in organised sport - above the average for Auckland schools - and given our strong and proud history, I feel even more girls would become involved if the facilities were of a higher standard," said Perry, who these days, after many years on the WTA circuit as a player and administrator, oversees Auckland's ASB Classic.

"Many teams have to go 'off site' to practice or compete which is costly, time-consuming and hardly user-friendly."

Initially $2 million will be spent on stage 1a to provide a sprung-floor netball court - but no locker rooms or other facilities. That money, a combination of $1.5 million Government funding and $500,000 from school reserves after fundraising, is seen as the starting point.

It is planned this facility will also be used by basketball, volleyball and badminton with all sports - up to 40 are catered for at EGGS - being welcome.

Stages 1b and 2 will require a further $4 million as the school seeks to provide two netball courts, locker rooms, a fitness centre, storage space, a physical education classroom and decent offices for PE and sport staff.

Epsom Girls Grammar has a proud sporting heritage.

Among its prominent sporting old girls are 1950 Empire Games silver medallist Lesley Gibson (nee Rowe), netball administrator Sheryl Wells, Perry, 1984 Olympian hockey player Jan Martin, Halberg award-winning golfer Marnie McGuire, cyclist Susy Pride and aerobics star Kelly Aitken.

Cricket:

AUCKLAND: Runs were at a premium on the first day of the match between expected top dogs AGS and WBHS. Batting first on a slow AGS pitch, the visitors managed just 185 with Luke Nash's 44 all that held the innings together.

Jamie Hayes and Oliver Pringle led the AGS attack with three wickets each. In their brief turn at bat in reply, AGS lost an early wicket.

While their top order batsmen made reasonable starts, the St Peter's batsmen generally failed to go on with it as they were dismissed by the Nick Kelly-led St Kentigern attack for a modest 170 of which three batsmen, Harry Hanham, Matt Considine and Nathaniel Bearman contributed 122.

The visitors found no such terrors in the St Peter's pitch to reach 125/1 at stumps in reply with Richard Sillars (unbeaten on 68) in search of his second century of the season.

But the third of the major championship matches produced a runfest.

Batting first at home against Rangitoto, King's hit 377/4 from 54.1 overs.

Simon Hickey was unstoppable. His unbeaten 200 was plundered at better than a run a ball. He combined with Mark Chapman (128 not out) to add 269 runs in an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership with both players posting their maiden centuries at this level.

But the Rangitoto top order continued in the same vein to reach 173/1 in reply with Mark Norman and Travis Brown well-settled at stumps and looking to post what could prove to be a winning second-wicket partnership.

In minor championship action, Rosmini were dismissed for 139 at Sacred Heart, with the home side ending the day at 77/2.

After struggling to score runs this season, the KBHS top order finally found some form against neighbours Avondale College to post a solid 308/9, with Nathan Jones reaching 100.

MAGS are firmly in control of their home match with Macleans, who were skittled for 149 in just 39 overs as Chris Beck and Sean Devine bagged three wickets each. In reply, and led by an unbeaten 100 from Vaidak Raj, MAGS were 211/2.

WAIKATO: St Peter's, after electing to bat first, put together some useful top-order partnerships to maintain a good scoring rate through the first 30 overs. Opener Danyon Drake (42) laid the foundation before being dismissed in the 34th over but the lower order failed to kick in.

They were bowled out in the 48th over with Mitchell Sklenars the pick of the HBHS bowlers with 4-13.

The St Peter's attack responded well, dismissing the top three HBHS batsmen in the first seven overs. Devon Singh-Parr and Drew Divehall staged a recovery and put together a partnership of 36 before another mini collapse.

At 73/7 it looked all over for HBHS but captain Matt Fluhler and Sam Nahna put on 62 for the eighth wicket to take HBHS into a winning position at 135/7 in the 40th over. They required only 45 to win from the last 10 overs but were left 42 runs short.

St Paul's bounced back well after their mid-week loss to St Peter's by posting 258/6 against Cambridge High. In a well-paced innings they finished strongly with wickets in hand.

In reply Cambridge were bowled out in 23 overs. Newcomer Freddie Walker impressed with his left-arm spin, taking 4-43 but leg-spinner Patrick Wilkins claimed 5-16.

Matamata made a steady start after deciding to bat first against Hillcrest High and reached drinks at 73/2. But some good bowling from Sean Rudman (4-30) and Josh Edwards (3-39) swung the game in Hillcrest's favour as they had Matamata struggling at 109/7. A lower-order rally got them through to 144 in the 42nd over.

Hillcrest made a brisk start, posting 50 inside the first 10 overs. The introduction of Nick Perring (4-21) and Mitchell Green stemmed the flow before swinging the game in Matamata's favour as Hillcrest were reduced to 79/6.

A seventh-wicket partnership of 36 between Rudman (55) and Nigel Lim (13) threatened to take the game away from Matamata but the introduction of Taylor Green (2-3) all but settled the game, with Hillcrest going from 115/6 to 117/9 in the space of 11 balls before being dismissed for 125.

Yachting:

World champion Chris Steele showed his class in heading the Laser Radial fleet in the 59th Auckland SS fleet racing off Narrow Neck.

Steele (WBHS), a skilled sailor in many classes, mastered the sometimes tricky conditions to take the honours.

The conditions, up to 25 knots at times over the two days, posed a real challenge for some of the less experienced, with that and some gear damage leading to several withdrawals.

AGS won another close team battle with long-time rivals WBHS to take the overall trophy in a regatta sailed under the watchful eye of race officer Janet Watkins, who has been at the helm for the past 30 contests.