Four-time winners Christchurch Boys High School defeated Palmerston North Boys High to make it into tomorrow’s Gillette Cup final, where they will meet defending champions Hamilton Boys – who outclassed Westlake in today’s other deciding match.
After heavy overnight rain, play on day three at the Gillette Cup tournament in Palmerston North was delayed until 2.30pm. Blustery winds aided the drying process which allowed the games to get underway, but the overs were reduced from 50 to 32 per innings.
Today was the final day of pool play and results from the previous two days had ensured that two teams in each pool had each had two wins and so were playing true semi finals.
The other four teams played off to determine the number 5 to 8 rankings for tomorrow’s crossover matches.
Day three results:
Pool A
Westlake Boys’ High School v Hamilton Boys’ High School
Hamilton batted first and was guided through to a total of a 157 thanks mainly to a solid innings by opener Mitchell Santner and captain Peter Bocock. Jordan Sussex was the best of the Westlake bowlers securing three wickets.
Westlake in reply struggled under pressure from Hamilton’s accurate bowling and lively fielding and were restricted to 117 with Travis Committee being left 39 not out. The wickets for Hamilton were shared between Scott Kuggeleijn, Matt Thomas, Joe Walker and Santner.
Hamilton BHS 155/7 (Santner 39, Bocock 43, Eli McKillop 22 n.o.; Sussex 3/28, Andrew Cowell 2/28) beat Westlake BHS 117(Committee 39 n.o., Kyle Dunsmore 24; Kuggeleijn 2/24, Thomas 2/24, Walker 2/32, Santner 2/9)
Otago Boys’ High School v New Plymouth Boys’ High School
This match was transferred on to an artificial pitch at Hokowhitu Park. In their innings Otago amassed 190/7. After a solid start they capitalised with some strong hitting towards the end of the innings. Major contributors were Daniel Duke, Captain Ciaran McMeeken and Gregor Croudis. Best of the New Plymouth bowlers was Warwick Millar with 3/14.
In reply New Plymouth BHS could only manage 163. Ben Hitchcock compiled a solid 56 while Otago opening bowler Blair Soper was impressive taking four wickets.
Otago BHS 190/7 (Duke 31, McMeeken 31, Croudis 45; Millar 3/14) beat New Plymouth BHS 163 (Hitchcock 56; Soper 4/42)
Pool B
Palmerston North Boys’ High School v Christchurch Boys’ High School
Palmerston North BHS won the toss and put Christchurch BHS into bat, a decision that looked to be right when they were 55/4, but Matt Rowe batting at number five had different ideas – scoring 65 off 54 balls. Jordie Gibbens added the icing on the innings with a quick fire 24, including three sixes off the last three balls of the innings to see Christchurch post a formidable 175/7.
The Palmerston North batting line up, which had not been tested in the previous two games, saw two early run outs, and despite Adam Milne scoring 29, they always remained behind the required rate and were eventually all out for 114. Wickets were shared between Theo van Worekun and Gibbens and Rowe, the latter two both had excellent all round games.
Christchurch BHS 175/7 ( Rowe 65; Gibbens 24 n.o) beat Palmerston North BHS 114(Milne 29; Giddens 3/19, Rowe 2/21, van Worekun 2/19)
Whangarei Boys’ High School v St Patricks College Silverstream
This match was also transferred on to an artificial pitch at Palmerston North BHS. St Patrick’s College, batting first, was always under pressure from an accurate Whangarei BHS bowling attack lead by Ryan Smith with 3/14, and were dismissed for 115.
Whangarei made short work of the reply scoring 117 for the loss of no wickets in 17 overs. Henry Cooper smashed 79 not out, including seven sixes and four fours, and was well supported by fellow opener Todd Beehre with 31 not out.
St Patrick’s 115 (Smith 3/14) lost to Whangarei BHS 117/0 (Cooper 79 n.o., Beehre 31 n.o)
