Top schools cricketers return
Palmerston North Boys’ High School first XI captain Ben O’connor is hoping home turf counts for something at the national secondary school finals next week.
Starting on Monday at Fitzherbert and Manawaroa Parks, the week-long tournament is back in Palmerston North for the first time in six years. It was regularly held at Fitzherbert Park, until Manawatu¯ lost the hosting rights in 2011, when it shifted to Lincoln.
This year’s tournament clashed with the under-19 World Cup, so New Zealand Cricket asked Manawatu¯ to be one-off hosts.
Boys’ High have qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2015 and will compete against Otago Boys’ High School, Tauranga Boys’ College, Rosmini College, Hutt International Boys’ School and defending champions Christchurch Boys’ High School, who have won four of the past five titles.
O’connor said everyone was really looking forward to it.
‘‘The national under-19 tournament is on the same week and a couple of other teams may be missing a few players,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re not missing anyone, which is a bit more positive for us. Everyone should be similar to each other.’’
O’connor’s older brother Tom was the captain two years ago.
In 2015 the Otago Boys’ High School team was mainly year 11 students, so Ben O’connor was expecting them to be strong.
O’connor, who was also in the first XI hockey team, is next year going to live at Auckland Grammar School and do some coaching.
Boys’ High won the competition in 1990 and 1998, and shared the title with King’s College in 2004.
Boys’ High beat Nelson College in the final round of qualifying to take the spot as the Central Districts representative.
In the first round on Monday, Boys’ High play Tauranga, Otago
play Christchurch, and Rosmini plays HIBS.