NZCT Junior Boys’ Finals 2007: Day One

The first round of the NZCT Junior Boys’ finals’ tournament got underway today at Taupo’s Owen Delany Park.

The eight schools in the finals played the first of their round-robin pool games in very pleasant, warm conditions. All the matches were of 40 overs duration.

POOL A:
Match 1: St Patrick’s College v New Plymouth Boys’ High School

NPBHS won the toss and batted. After losing three quick wickets on 25, due to the quality bowling of Frankie L’Estrange, who went on to take the first five-wicket bag of the tournament, they progressed through to 147, being all out in the 40th over.

Callum Gill also bowled economically to pick up two wickets. Ben Hitchcock and Kane Robertson were the pick of the NPBHS batsmen both scoring 28.

In reply, SPC were always within reach of the NPBHS total, but the pressure of the run chase and two direct hit run outs saw them all out for 131. Conor Gilchrist scored 26 and William Sandafar, Conner Oliver-Rose and William Young all grabbed two wickets apiece.

Summary
NPBHS: 147 (Ben Hitchcock 28, Kane Robertson 28; Frankie L’Estrange 5/25)
SPC: 131 (Conor Gilchrist 26, William Sandafar 2/24, Conner Oliver-Rose 2/12, William Young 2/23)
Result: Win to New Plymouth Boys’ High School by 16 runs

Match 2: Tauranga Boys’ College v Otago Boys’ High School

TBC won the toss and batted. They had a solid start but them lost wickets at regular intervals to be all out for 135 in the 35th over. Joe Carter and Ben Fryett both scored twenties.

The best of the OBHS bowlers were Jordan Hunter 4/40, Harry Jones 3/12 and Aaron Blair 2/17. In reply, OBHS got away to a good start, lost a few wickets in the middle, but finished strongly scoring the winning runs in the 23rd over. Isaac Gutschlag scored a well-compiled 44 and Lance Taylor chipped in with 22.

Right arm medium pacer Campbell Taylor bowled impressively for TBC taking four of the OBHS five wickets to fall.

Summary
TBC: 135 (Joe Carter 23, Ben Fryett 20; Jordan Hunter 4/40, Harry Jones 3/12, Aaron Blair 2/17)
OBHS: 136/5 (Isaac Gutschlag 44, Lance Taylor 22; Campbell Taylor 4/33)
Result: Win to OBHS by 5 wickets

POOL B:
Match 1: Auckland Grammar School v Napier Boys’ High School

AGS won the toss and put NBHS into bat. Apart from Andrew Bevin with 20’ they struggled against the accuracy of the AGS attack to be all out for 116 in 35 overs. The wickets for AGS were shared between Conrad Grimshaw, Josh Anthony and Nic Edkins. In reply Josh Stuchbury with 50 not out steered his side to an eight-wicket win with a few overs to spare. He was well supported by Jamie Hayes who was also not out on 24.

Summary:
NBHS: 116 (Andrew Bevin 20, Conrad Grimshaw 3/17, Josh Anthony 2/14, Nic Edkins 3/13)
AGS: 117/2 (Josh Stuchbury 50no, Jamie Hayes 24no)
Result: Win to AGS by 8 wickets

Match 2: Hamilton Boys’ High School v St Bede’s College

HBHS won the toss and inserted SBC. They found the going difficult on a slowish wicket and were all out in the 35th over for 134. Zac Southen and Michael Jones were the main contributors. For HBBS Taylor Cullen, Mitchell Dickeson and Sam Nahna were all in the wickets. NBHS in reply made short work of the SBC total scoring the runs for the loss of just one wicket courtesy of an excellent innings of 74 not out by Adam Wallis. He was well supported by Jared Sun who scored 21 in their opening stand of 94.

Summary
SBC: 134 (Zac Southen 30, Michael Jones 20 not out, Taylor Cullen 2/10, Mitchell Dickeson 3/28, Sam Nahna 2/29)
HBHS: 135/1 (Adam Wallis 74no, Jared Sun 21)
Result: Win to HBHS by 9 wickets