Sam Harper. Photo / Supplied
Wānaka teen Sam Harper has put the disappointment of missing out on Otago’s U19 cricket side behind him by producing one of the all-time great performances with bat and ball.
On Saturday, while playing for Wānaka Cricket Club’s Koford Cup team against Queenstown Coronet in Otago’s senior 40-over competition, Harper smashed an unbeaten 233 with the bat before taking 5 for 1 with the ball in a 180-run win.
The year 12 Mt Aspiring College student’s double century came from 126 balls featuring 25 fours and 14 sixes, while his five-for came from 3.5 overs, which featured two maidens.
Harper opened the innings at Luggate Cricket Ground and helped his side reach 342/6 and in reply, Queenstown made a strong start in their chase, but suffered a sensational collapse, going from 148 without loss to 162 all out.
The 17-year-old went into the match feeling confident after a decent start to the season with the bat, scoring 108 off 74 balls then 76 not out off 32 balls.
But he admits to some degree there was a point to prove after finding out earlier in the week he’d only been named as a travelling reserve for Otago’s under-19s for next month’s nationals in Christchurch.
“You always want to prove a point,” Harper said. “But I think it was just doing what I do.
“I was more impressed with my batting as it’s something I worked towards and where my focus is at the moment.
“I was feeling pretty confident. I didn’t think it’d be that good though.”
Wānaka captain and club president Blayne Wegener said he wasn’t too surprised to witness Harper’s efforts, but admits it was the best performance of cricket by an individual anyone there that day will ever see.
“He’s been batting really well, and I think he’s a little bit underrated with the off-spin that he does bowl,” Wegener said.
“He’s an absolute talent. Scoring 233 is a massive but I’m not super surprised.
“I’m probably more surprised for the 5 for 1. That’s pretty crazy.”
Wegener can take some of the credit for the bowling heroics after making the call to thrust Harper into the attack.
Harper previously opened the bowling as a medium-fast bowler, but after a stress fracture in his back, he’s recently converted to off-spin.
He hadn’t bowled in the first two games, but with Queenstown on track to chase down the target, Wegener made the call to switch his bowlers up, putting in Will Anderson and Harper, who tore through the line-up in 47 balls.
“He’s bowled off-spin in the nets a little bit and he’s bowled it to me and I’ve rated it,” Wegener said.
“Queenstown got off to a really good start. They were 148 chasing our 342 and they had plenty of overs left.
“We brought on Sam, another young kid on, Will Anderson and between them, nine wickets in eight overs with for 14 runs. It was wild.”
Harper said it didn’t take long for news of his efforts to spread as he received a fair few comments from players while representing Otago Country the following day against Dunedin in the year 11/12 competition.
“I got a few messages from different people and then it ended up on the Alternate Commentary Collective on their socials,” Harper said.
“That was quite funny. Got a few good messages.
“We had a game on Sunday and I was getting the chat as soon as I walked out there. They were just like ‘can you back it up?’”
For Harper, who was the Otago under-17 player of the year last summer, and represented New Zealand in indoor cricket at under 15s, he still has one year left at school but cricket is firmly on his radar for the future.
“That’s definitely a goal,“ Harper said. ”Always working towards it.
“I’m leaving options open at the moment. I still have a year of school to decide.”
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.