Ngātapa win Gisborne B Grade cricket’s Twenty20 grand final

T20 champions: The victorious Civil Project Solutions Ngātapa Green Caps are (back, from left) Brent Gallagher, Mike Gibson, Hoffman Haasbroek, George Whitehead, Bradley Carruthers, Jack Roberts, Zac Borrie and Archie Gillies, along with (front, from left) Ollie Jonasen, Charles Morrison (captain) and EJ Nepe (with the Courier Post Shield).

Ruthlessness starts at the top.

And from the first ball of the 2024-2025 Poverty Bay Senior B Grade T20 competition final between Civil Project Solutions Ngātapa Green Caps and Chicking High School Old Boys Presidents, the green-and-whites were ruthless in their 34-run win under skipper Charles Morrison.

Morrison won the toss, opted to bat on Harry Barker Reserve No 2 and, after hitting the first ball of the match to the boundary, carried his bat for 85.

He lost opening partner Brent Gallagher (10) and Zac Borrie for a duck with the score at 29, but put on 64 with Ollie Jonasen (27) and 63 for the fourth wicket with Hoffman Haasbroek (23 not out).

Those two partnerships were built on an eye for the loose delivery and hard running between wickets.

Presidents off-spinner Matt Jefferd shared the new ball with left-arm orthodox spinner Tom Crosby, and Jefferd’s two wickets for 22 runs in four overs was the best return in the first innings.

In temperatures upwards of 30C, HSOB’s four-pronged spin attack unusually bowled at least one bad ball per over, which Morrison clubbed for five sixes and six fours. Of his 11 boundaries in 66 balls, seven came off full tosses.

The reserve’s outfields are fast and 156-3 was a good score. In reply, HSOB were restricted to 122-5.

Ngātapa spearhead Bradley Carruthers demonstrated the ability to swing the ball both ways, although he began with a no-ball, which Jefferd took two runs from, and bowled three wides in the first of his two overs.

Jonasen, bowling outswing at first change, was accurate in taking 2-15 off four overs, while medium-pacer George Whitehead (1-17 in three) and young offie Archie Gillies (1-28 in four) were also tidy.

Promising Year 8 all-rounder Jack Roberts was unlucky in taking two wickets with no balls, but kept a good, full length and was dangerous in the three overs he bowled.

HSOB second drop Anthony Boyder made a valuable contribution for 20, Blake Crosby a lively 27 before he was bowled by Gillies, and Justin Kohere, at No 6, was outstanding for an unbeaten 38 from 31 balls. He batted with urgency and determination.

It must be said Simon Blaker (10) received a tough leg-before-wicket decision off Whitehead that hobbled HSOB at 3-40.

Morrison was delighted with his team’s first victory for the Courier Post Shield, first won by the legendary OBM Presidents in 2001-2002.

“That was a great game of cricket,” he said. “They were tough conditions to play in, but we’re glad we got home with the shield. We put enough runs on the board and limited HSOB’s boundary-scoring opportunities. And we got consistent contributions from Gisborne Boys’ High Year 9 student Archie and St Paul’s Collegiate School-bound Jack this season. They brought real energy and enthusiasm.”

“Spin’s our strong suit, but Ngātapa put almost every bad ball that we bowled away in that final,” HSOB Presidents’ Sean Moran said. “They’ve beaten us three times this season in T20 games. We look forward to locking horns with them again in the 30-over Hope Cup format.”