Old Boys reign supreme at cricket finals

Both NPOB opening bowlers Callum Stuart and Kyle Pillay picked up an early wicket to have NPMU in trouble at 11 for 2.

The Taranaki club cricket season came to an end over the weekend with the final of the Revital Fertilisers Premier two day competition.

The final was played at Pukekura Park over three days starting Easter Friday between old foes New Plymouth Old Boys and New Plymouth Marist United.

NPMU’s captain Jarred Cunningham won the toss and elected to bowl first which paid immediate dividends as NPMU’s opening bowler Ryan Watson had NPOB’s opening batsman Josh Borrell caught in the gully off the first ball of the game.

NPOB batsman went about rebuilding the innings with a number of mini partnerships but just as they seemed to get on top the NPMU bowlers would strike again. In the end NPOB would have been disappointed with their 264 all out as no less than 7 batsman got past 20 but only one could post a half century with NPOB’s skipper Mattie Thomas top scoring with 56. Michael Blanks was the pick of the bowlers picking up a five wicket bag off a marathon 39 overs.

Day two was completely washed out with heavy dew in the morning followed by misty rain that wouldn’t lift.

So it all came down to day three with NPMU requiring 265 and NPOB 10 wickets for victory. Both NPOB opening bowlers Callum Stuart and Kyle Pillay picked up an early wicket to have NPMU in trouble at 11 for 2. Jarred Cunningham batting at number 4 played a captains kcock but found little help from his fellow team mates with NPMU losing wickets at regular intervals, Cunningham made a patient 69 but when he was the 8th wicket to fall with the score at 144 the end seemed close. Mattie Thomas picked up the 9th wicket to complete his five wicket bag with opening bowler Callum Stuart picking up the final wicket to dismiss NPMU for 154 and leave NPOB as the Revital Fertilisers Premier Two Day champions.