Cricket: Dave Hoskin Trophy on move again

The coveted Dave Hoskin Trophy is on the move again, as Holders Hillcrest High were comprehensively outplayed by visiting Matamata College.

Batting first after winning the toss, Matamata hardly set the world on fire but reached the drinks break with 49 runs and all wickets intact in the face of steady bowling from Elliott Law and brothers Sean and Neil Rudman.

Led by free-scoring Joe Freeman (63), the runs flowed after the break, and while wickets did fall, the visitors were able to maintain the momentum with Ciaran O'Malley scoring a run-a-ball 22 before Nick Perring took over.

He finished unbeaten on 66, and with Hayden Waugh (15 not out) lending a hand, they piled on 50 from the last five overs as Matamata reached an imposing 229/6.

In reply Hillcrest's innings never gained any momentum, with wickets falling at regular intervals. They were eventually bowled out for 93 in the 21st over. Hayden Bell (5-39) and Taylor Green (3-19) were the chief destroyers and major benefactors of some outstanding fielding.

In a low-scoring match, initial tight bowling from St Peter's Jason Thomasen and Huss Mahal made runs difficult to come by for the visiting Cambridge High batsmen.

That good early bowling was marred in giving up 20 wides and allowed Cambridge to reach 108 with the only two innings of note the 25 scored by Nick Bateman at No 7 and 15 from Mitch Kirkbride. Spinners Josh Oakley (3-30) and Jono Whitley (2-30) were the chief wicket-takers.

St Peter's lost early wickets but opener Sam Pulis held the innings together with a patient 19 while a cameo of 40 runs off 19 balls from Ben Schilt helped St Peter's get close to their target. Matt Joubert and Brandon Weal closed out the match in the 22nd over, with St Peter's 110 for 5.

The Hamilton BHS Development XI batted steadily throughout their 50 overs to post 207/7 with seven players scoring between 16 and 40 runs. Matt Lowe batted well for 40 before running himself out, while St Pauls fielded poorly with a number of mis-fields and dropped catches.

In reply the St Pauls top order was knocked off by Jack Clark with 3-22. Chris Swanson (20) and James Chenery (40) provided brief resistance before Danyon Stewart with 3-28 mopped up the middle order to bowl St Pauls out for 114.

Morrinsville had a trip to forget against St John's College. Batting first, the visitors were out for 52 as Joe Tourelle and Sam Watson bagged four wickets each. Led by an unbeaten 35 from Jayden Purcell, St Johns cruised home without losing a wicket.