Cricket: NTOB win in stifling Wairarapa humidity

CD Stags are unlikely to release Christian Leopard for Napier Technical Old Boys' campaign for the New Zealand Club Championship. Photo/John Velvin, ESPNZ

It wasn't so much the heat from the artillery on the Gaza Strip of cricket at Queen Elizabeth Park that was bothering Napier Technical Old Boys but the wet-blanket humidity of Wairarapa in Masterton last Sunday.

"It was 38 degrees out there in the middle so it was hard work. We were very fortunate that a river flows behind the ground so the players were able to go have a swim when we were batting," said the Big Barrel-sponsored NTOB coach Dale Smidt after they beat Burger King Red Star CC by 119 runs to progress to the next stage of qualifying for the national premier men's club championship at Palmerston North on Waitangi Day weekend on February 6.

Izaiah Lange was the top scorer with 92 runs, including five boundaries and a six, during his 121-ball occupation of the crease as NTOB amassed 282-8 in the 50 allotted overs after Red Star won the toss and elected to bowl.

"He played really well and did the job in holding the innings together for us as the other guys just batted around him," said Smidt.

He said the flat and slow wicket, with yawning boundaries, made it difficult to hit fours, never mind sixes. "They had five fielders out so Izaiah stayed out there scoring a lot of ones in nearly three hours so it was hard to find the bloody ropes."

Smidt said the hosts struggled with the pace of NTOB bowlers as they were skittled for 163 runs in 41.3 overs.

Stevie Smidt (2-16), Jeremy Kuru (2-30), Robbie Brigham (2-26) and Angus Philpott (2-23) led the collective charge of eight bowlers.

"They are just not used to it because we are bowling 10 to 20 ks more than what they are used to facing."

Coach Smidt was only aware of New Plymouth Marist United qualifying for the playoffs in the annual Palmerston North CD-qualifying tourney but he was hoping to find out who the other two sides were from the Central Districts region by the end of this week.

NTOB, who stumbled in the final hurdle in Palmy last year, beat New Plymouth Marist United two years ago.

Smidt laughed when asked if he was likely to have CD Christian Leopard back, adding he had tried to convince Stags coach Heinrich Malan that he as better off playing than carrying drinks but to no avail.