Holden, Thompson and Stewart form the pace reinforcement to Loffler (2-15 against Horouta) and the ever-reliable Matt Cook. They are backed up by left-arm orthodox spinner and skipper Nick Greeks and a very tidy off-spinner in Daniel Stewart.
HSOB skipper Dave Castle also has deep bowling resources to call on.
He has finger-spinners Anthony Boyder, Castle himself and Daniel Torrie, along with two very different but equally dangerous left-arm bowlers in Jak Rowe and Keegan Jooste, and one of the best-performed A Grade cricketers over the first half of this season, Steve Lamb.
Nick Armour is a purveyor of teasingly accurate medium pace, and Baxter Mackay — a genuine all-rounder who, like OBR’s Holden and Thompson, can produce a classic outswinger — is on deck for the final.
OBR wicketkeeper Kieran Venema held four catches last weekend and is great value as a competitor, while Graham Sharp – three games into his HSOB club cricket career – is as efficient a gloveman as he is inconspicuous.
Castle has good reason to be pleased, not only with the 12 players he has on hand, but also with the pitches.
“The wickets have shown a 1000 percent improvement from last season, and Richard Tikaroa is doing an excellent job on the premier pitches. This year our players see it as a privilege – rather than a chore – to play on those surfaces, so fizz levels are through the roof at HSOB.
“We're extremely proud to have made it to the final as the top qualifiers and pretty focused on preparing as best we can. Nick Greeks and his OBR side are not only quality blokes off the park, they are quality opposition. We will need to be on top of our game to retain the Doleman Cup.”
It was on the No.1 ground that OBR began their Doleman Cup campaign in powerhouse style on October 28, with a 10-wicket win against Gisborne Boys’ High School. Also on opening day, HSOB beat Horouta by 156 runs on No.3.
A week later HSOB beat OBR by 51 runs on No.1 in their first meeting this summer, with only former Boys’ High captain Nathan Trowell (24 off 31 balls from No.3) showing resistance with the bat.
On November 25, what would have been the second meeting of tomorrow’s finalists was rained out.
Only Te Waka opener Harmanpreet Singh has made a Premier Grade century to date this season. He scored 105 off 83 balls against OBR in Round 3, before Dane Thompson knocked him over.
Both of tomorrow's finals teams include players who have scored Premier Grade tons.
Standing in the Doleman Cup final will be Poverty Bay Cricket director of umpires Jason Trowill and Northern Districts development panel mentor Bryan Keightley.
Senior B Grade teams will continue the 30-over Hope Cup competition on Nelson Park’s artificial pitches at 2pm tomorrow.
Rawhiti Legal Old Boys Rugby will play GBHS (2) on NP 1, Campion College will play Breakers Horouta Te Waka on NP 3 and reigning champions Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps will play Chicking HSOB Presidents on NP 4.
BOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS: Baxter Mackay, Glen Udall, Scott Tallott, Graham Sharp (wkp), Dave Castle (captain), Carl Shaw (vice-captain), Steve Lamb, Jak Rowe, Daniel Torrie, Keegan Jooste, Anthony Boyder and Nick Armour.
COASTAL CONCRETE OLD BOYS RUGBY: Te-Reimana Gray, Sean Henry, Nathan Trowell, Paul Stewart, Dane Thompson (vc), Cohen Loffler, Kieran Venema (wkp), Richie Needham, Nick Greeks (c), Daniel Stewart, Matt Cook and Jimmy Holden.
