Rawhiti Legal OBR likewise won by default against Senior B Grade Hope Cup holders Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps.
In the Premier Grade, the 40-over Doleman Cup standings after six rounds are: HSOB 16 points, OBR 12, Horouta 4 and GBHS 0.
The T15 Walker Shield standings after two rounds are: OBR 8, Horouta 4, HSOB 4 and GBHS 0.
In the Senior B Grade, the 30-over Hope Cup standings after six rounds are: Chicking HSOB Presidents 12, Breakers Horouta Te Waka 12, Rawhiti Legal OBR 12, Civil Project Solutions Ngatapa Green Caps 5, Campion College 4 and Gisborne Boys’ High School (2) 0.
What pleased Dave Castle most about his HSOB premiers’ win on Saturday?
“We found our mojo again on the back of a strong batting partnership from Graham Sharp and myself: 125 for the fourth wicket,” Castle said of his team’s 98-run win against Boys’ High.
“It was great to see Glen Udall (15) back opening for us, and we were stoked for Graham Sharp, who scored his maiden club half-century, 55, for us from No.4. I had the best seat in the house from which to watch G, the best bat in town, go about his work on a quality pitch.
“When we were in the field, our bowlers were on song and after setting a target of three wickets inside the first six overs, we achieved it.
“Up-and-coming spinner Divesh Mistry took 4-23 off six overs in his premier debut with myriad variations, bamboozling the opposition batsmen.
“Overall, it was a very pleasing result for us. I'm extremely pleased for our guys to finish top of the table in the round robin.”
GBHS co-captain Jarrod Ormiston won the toss and chose to bowl. HSOB posted 193-5. Sharp’s 55 and Castle’ run-a-ball 75 as fifth man in were the principal individual scores.
Northern Districts Māori under-16 opening bowler Johnathan Gray (2-28 from eight overs, two of which were maidens) was the point of the sword for GBHS; he shared the new ball with elder brother David Gray.
David Gray and second-change seamer Nathaniel Fearnley both took 1-38.
Fearnley got through eight overs, David Gray seven. Akira Makiri, the seventh bowler used, was good value in taking 1-19 from six overs. His dismissal of Sharp made it 170-4.
GBHS, whose highest total this season has been 141 in the 80-run Doleman Cup loss to Horouta in Round 2, were all out for 95 in 26.2 overs.
David Gray’s 35 from 57 balls at the top of the order was the highest individual score and best fighting innings of the run-chase. He hit only one boundary as he set the right tone for graft, having lost partner Alex Shanks five balls into the second innings without a run on the board.
The 17-run second-wicket stand of David Gray and Nathaniel Fearnley (3) was the biggest partnership of the match for Boys’ High.
Johnny Gray — coming in at No.7 — made 13, and was only the second batsman to score in double-figures. Zyden Worsnop, batting at No.6, got to nine.
Mistry, the fifth bowler used by HSOB, is a spinner of the type that, first-up, may seem easy to face; over time, his subtlety reveals itself. His figures of 4-23 from six overs, and left-arm menace Jak Rowe's 3-15 from 5.2 overs, don't speak eloquently enough of Rowe’s ability to take the wickets of good players, or Mistry’s skill in mopping up the tail.
With Horouta defaulting to OBR, umpires chief Jason Trowill was joined by Stu Patrick. They did a solid job for both sides.
