STAR TURN: Collegiate opening bowler Connor O'Leary had rivals well in his sights taking 12-45 in the two-day inter-school First X1 fixture against Hutt International Boys in Whanganui this week.PHOTO/SUPPLIED
STAR TURN: Collegiate opening bowler Connor O'Leary had rivals well in his sights taking 12-45 in the two-day inter-school First X1 fixture against Hutt International Boys in Whanganui this week.PHOTO/SUPPLIED
WANGANUI Collegiate First X1 opening bowler Connor O'Leary was once again the star turn in the six-wicket win over Hutt International Boys School in the two-day inter-school fixture on Sunday and Monday.
WCS has got off to the very best start to their inter-schools season this year with wins againstRathkeale last week and this very impressive latest victory over the Upper Hutt side that were the NZCT knock out competition (previously Gillette Cup) champions last year.
O'Leary was in fine form against Rathkeale last week and even better nick this time boasting career-best figures of 12 for 45 in the match.
WCS director of extra-curricular, Barry Touzel said these figures were the best the school has seen in decades and testimony to O'Leary's hard work.
WCS won the toss on home turf and elected to bowl on a seam-friendly wicket and from ball one the visitors were in trouble. Excellent and sustained pressure from all the WCS seamers saw a continuous fall of wickets to see HIBS all out for 54.
WCS too was under pressure in their innings from some accurate seam bowling from the HIBS attack before Sam Beard played an aggressive, but controlled innings of 57 not out, well supported by O'Leary with 37 and Josh Lennox with 32 at the back end of the innings. WCS were eventually bowled out for 185 for a lead of 133.
HIBS' second innings again started badly with O'Leary again leading the attack putting the visiting batsmen under pressure. The HIBS batsmen showed determination and the WCS had to toil long and hard to bowl them out for 178, O'Leary finishing with 7-28. This left WCS to chase down the 51 runs for victory which they did for the loss of 4 wickets.
WCS travel to the capital this weekend to take on the Wellington College First XI in a longstanding fixture.
HIBS first innings 54 (O'Leary 5-17; Sam Beard 2-12; James Pennefather 2-7), WCS first Innings 185 (Sam Beard 56 not out; Connor O'Leary 37; Josh Lennox 32), HIBS second Innings 178 (O'Leary 7-28), WCS Second Innings 51/4 to win by 6 wickets.
