In the absence of both captains, medium-pace bowler Matt Cook led the side and promoted himself to open the batting with Craig Christophers.
In the words of a teammate, “he batted well at the tail end a couple of weeks ago so presumably he thought with ‘Lappy’ (Loffler) and JP (Purcell) away it was time for a promotion”.
But Cook’s elevation looks destined to be short lived. He was bowled by Patrick Mathers, playing his last game for Campion, for nought, having faced three balls and with the score at eight.
Christophers anchored the innings with a superb knock of 95. He faced 77 balls, hit 17 fours and received support from Carl Carmody (50) and Baden Harwood (50).
Christophers and Harwood shared a third-wicket partnership of 113 when Harwood was out.
Timoti Weir hit a quickfire unbeaten 20, setting Campion a target of almost seven runs an over off their 35 overs.
That quickly rose to nine runs an over following the early loss of three wickets. Opener Hunter Jones and Matt Naden revived the innings with a 90-run fourth-wicket partnership before Naden was back in the pavilion with 35 well-compiled runs.
The downfall of JonesWith the required run rate now 10 an over and wickets falling all around him, Jones continued the fight and agonisingly fell eight runs short of what would have been a deserved century.
Harwood was the chief destroyer with six wickets for 38 runs off seven overs. Cook returned to doing what he does best — bowling — and captured 3-35 off seven overs.
The form of Christophers is ominous for a much-improved HSOB side ahead of the semifinals.
“I’ve been getting 20s and then getting out; it was good to spend a bit more time in the middle and get runs,” Christophers said.
Stand-in Pirates skipper Brad Reynolds won the toss and put Gisborne Boys’ High School in to bat.
“We knew we had to win and we’d talked about what we would like to do before the game,” medium-pace bowler Aku Smith said.
“That was to put them in and try to get them out for as low a score as possible in case of a countback (runs scored divided by wickets taken over the season) and we were happy to restrict them to 156-3.”
The plan looked to have backfired when Boys’ High openers David Situ and Drew Scott put on 89 runs before Scott was caught by Inder Singh off Dane Thompson for 47.
Paul Stewart, whose father Peter was playing for Pirates, was next to go with the score at 94, bowled by Reynolds, who captained the side in the absence of Mitchell Turner (leading the Bay in Taupo).
Situ posts half centuryReynolds then took a catch off Smith’s bowling to send Situ back to the pavilion, but not before Situ had posted his maiden Doleman Cup half-century (51).
Ben McNeil chipped in with 25 as Boys’ High set Pirates a target of 157 from 35 overs.
Pirates lost four wickets — Andrew Ashton, Olly Tilley, Tom Needham and Reynolds — in the chase. When Reynolds was trapped leg before wicket for 43, Pirates were 120-4.
Richie Needham (23 not out) and Thompson (21 not out) steered the ship home.
“The track was slow and we had to work hard for the wins but we’re in the playoffs and that was always the first goal — make the semifinals,” Smith said.
“If you’re not in the top four you can’t win it. At least we’ve given ourselves a chance of defending the cup, and we’ll have Mitch (Turner) and Dane (Thompson) available.
“With Dane just back in town this week he had to play today (Saturday) to be eligible for the playoffs.
“After the game he left the ground straight away to go to Taupo to join up with the Bay team.”
OBR 240-5 (Craig Christophers 95, Carl Carmody 50, Baden Harwood 50, Timoti Weir 20 not out; Patrick Mathers 2-43) def Campion College 185 (Hunter Jones 92, Matt Naden 35; Baden Harwood 6-38, Matt Cook 3-35).
Pirates 162-4 (Brad Reynolds 43, Richie Needham 23no, Dane Thompson 21no, Tom Needham 20) def GBHS (1) 156-3 (David Situ 51, Drew Scott 47, Ben McNeil 25).
