Marist put Boys’ High in a spin
Fitzherbert Park proved to be a spinner’s paradise for Marist in the club one-day final against Palmerston North Boys’ High School.
Marist thrashed Boys’ High by 227 runs in spin-friendly conditions on Sunday to win their second title in a row.
Off-spinner Nic Carter starred with 5-23 from 10 overs for Marist, as they skittled the schoolboys for just 61 in 34 overs, well short of Marist’s 288-6.
Boys’ High, who haven’t won since the 1995-96 summer, were the top qualifiers for the final, while Marist overcame United in Saturday’s semifinal by 78 runs.
Set an imposing 289 to win, Boys’ High were on the back foot immediately after off-spinner Arana Noema-barnett opened the bowling and removed both openers inside four overs.
Carter then went to work and got rid of most of Boys’ High’s middle and lower order.
He wasn’t sure if it was his best figures and said it had been a long time since his last five-wicket bag.
‘‘I wasn’t expecting to get five for but I was feeling pretty confident and have been bowling pretty well the last few weeks.’’
He was aided by the conditions and said the odd one would bite and turn.
Carter said they knew with runs on the board they could apply scoreboard pressure to Boys’ High.
‘‘Two in a row, that’s pretty good. We’ve got a good group of guys and some consistency.’’
A disappointed Boys’ High player-coach Scott Davidson said they bowled well but lamented dropped catches.
But their batting meant they were never in the chase and at 19-4, with the big wicket of Davidson out lbw first ball by Carter, Boys’ High were in serious trouble early.
No 3 Curtis Heaphy faced 53 balls for just 10 runs, the second-highest score of the innings.
Thomas Kirk top-scored with 19 at No 10, while No 8 Henry Deans hung around for 6 not out from 45 balls.
Noema-barnett grabbed the last wicket to finish with 3-17 from 10 overs and captain Dave Meiring, a seamer-cum-spinner, took 1-10 from nine overs.
Earlier, both Marist’s opening batsmen made a good start with half centuries. Whetu na Nagara scored 50 from 108 balls, while Noema-barnett was in a more aggressive mood, scoring 54 from 38 balls.
Once Noema-barnett was out, Connor Morriss found form and scored 95 from 88 balls and Morriss and na Nagara added 140 runs for the second wicket.
Floyd na Nagara scored 36 from 30 balls late in the innings.
Davidson was the best of the Boys’ High bowlers with 3-56 with his off-spin.
In Saturday’s semifinal, Marist beat United by 78 runs. Marist batted first and scored 206, then dismissed United for 128.
Marist 288-6 (Connor Morriss 95, Arana Noema-barnett 54, Whetu na Nagara 50, Floyd Na Nagara 36*; Scott Davidson 3-56) beat Boys’ High 61 (Nic Carter 5-23, Noema-barnett 3-17; Thomas Kirk 19) by 227 runs.