HBHS charge into 2017 with first win
Hamilton Boys’ High School have returned from the Christmas/ New Year break in the same fashion as they went into it, extending their lead at the top of Hamilton club cricket’s Eddy Marr Bowl standings with another victory on Saturday.
Up against second-placed Marist-Suburbs in a one-day contest at the school ground, HBHS were bowled out for 193, one ball shy of their 50 overs, but still managed a bonus-point win, knocking their opponents over for 148 in 44.3 overs.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the hosts had to dig their way out of a hole after stumbling to 23-3 in the 11th over, with Matt Wallbank (2-28 off 10, including three maidens) setting the early tone.
But Joe Walker, who wasn’t considered for Northern Districts’ opening Ford Trophy match as he was recovering from illness, came to the rescue at No 5, with an important 65 from 77 balls, which included eight fours and a six.
Walker and fellow senior man Michael Dodunski (21 off 41) put on 60 for the fifth wicket to steer their side towards a reasonable total.
However they both fell in successive Alex Clare overs, with the off-spinner claiming 3-31 off 8.5 overs, just as a platform was being set for the lower order.
Riyan Perera (31) and Jackson Cate (21) added some handy late runs, before Shaun Devoy (3-46 off eight) helped wrap things up.
In reply Marist-Suburbs lost key man Anish Desai in the sixth over, before fellow opener Suraj Raval followed three balls later for an 18-ball duck.
Jayden Purcell (22 off 53) and Shaan Singh-Parhar (22 off 75) both dug in to recover their side to 59-2, but HBHS spinners Brayden Gaylor (1-19 off 10, including four maidens) and Walker (1-15 off seven) were miserly and created pressure.
Opening bowler Dodunski came back and snared wickets in three consecutive overs, bowling out his allotment early and claiming 4-37 to effectively seal the match, with Wallbank (33no off 28 balls) unable to find anyone to stay with him.
Marist-Suburbs have slipped to fourth, replaced in second by defending champs Old Boys, who put on a fine run-chase for a sixwicket win over Melville at Galloway Park.
After opting to bat first, Melville posted a handy 234-7, thanks to the half centuries from Keir Bettley (73 off 91, including six fours and three sixes) and Francis Collins (62 off 79, including four fours and three sixes), who combined for a fifth-wicket stand of 112.
In their chase Old Boys were three wickets down inside 10 overs, but had a decent run rate of nearly six.
That saw Matt Whitley and Brook Hatwell come together, and the duo complemented each other well in a decisive partnership of 146 for the fourth wicket.
Hatwell hit a brisk 66 off 69 balls (10 fours), while Whitley saw it through to the finish, with an unbeaten 76 off 131 (seven fours), with Kendall Nolan (21no off 19) coming in to help him seal the deal with 4.5 overs to spare.
Meanwhile, Star University remain in bottom spot, after a five-wicket humbling by FraserTech at Jansen Park.
After being sent in, Star’s innings never got going, with Tech, despite sending down 35 extras, rolling them for 151, in 42.5 overs.
Jared Pye top-scored from No 7 with an unbeaten 41 off 54 (five fours), but Elliot Law (2-26 off 10) did the early damage, then PJ Monga (3-29 off 10) and Gagandeep Singh (3-29 off eight) made further inroads, before Prakash Gosai (2-21 off 4.5) finished things off.
Despite Thomas Shuker getting on a hat-trick early on during the chase, Tech were guided to victory by opener Ryan Smith’s 50 off 73 (five fours, one six) and Shevon Perera’s unbeaten 41 off 72 (five fours), as they secured victory in 37.3 overs, attaining a bonus point.