Pirates in big upset

ON TARGET: Pirates stalwart Aku Smith took 2-27 off eight overs against High School Old Boys in Doleman Cup cricket at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. Picture by Liam Clayton

SCOTT Hollinshead was the toast of a Pirates side who upset the form book with a thrilling two-wicket win against High School Old Boys in Doleman Cup 40-over cricket at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.

Hollinshead was superb, hitting 11 fours and a six on his way to 95 not out off 89 balls.

Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates passed the Bollywood Stars HSOB total of 208-7 with two wickets in hand and 2.4 overs to spare.

Pirates went into the game after being bundled out for 98, of which Hollinshead scored 45, in last week’s loss to OBR.

HSOB were looking to make it two successive wins in the competition after they beat Gisborne Boys’ High School last week.

“Never write off a skull-and-crossbones team,” said Pirates skipper Brad Reynolds, who continually encouraged his teammates in a game that went to the wire.

Ryan Nepe gave Pirates a great start when he had Matt Jefferd caught by Hollinshead with three runs on the board.

The in-form Carl Shaw and Jarrod Renouf rebuilt the innings with a stand of 30 before Shaw was caught by Reynolds off Richie Needham for 10 . . . a big wicket.

HSOB then lost the next three wickets — including Renouf (30) and skipper and danger-man Scott Tallott (26) — for 56 runs.

Gagan Dhinga and Ajay Kumar then shared a 50-run partnership before Dhinga was caught by Reynolds off the bowling of Needham for 15.

The experienced Kumar, who top-scored for HSOB with 45 at a run a ball, was next to fall, trapped leg before wicket by Tayla Hollis with the score at 157.

Sasha Drain wagged the tail with a quickfire 30 off 34 balls before he was bowled by Hollis, who was the best of the Pirates bowlers, finishing with 2-24 off eight overs.

Pirates’ most experienced player, Aku Smith, chipped in with a valuable 2-27 off eight overs. Needham, in a sound game, took two wickets.

Reynolds and Hollinshead gave Pirates a solid start to the chase before Reynolds was run out with the score at 29.

“Scott owes us runs after running Brad out,” a Pirates player said.

Hollinshead delivered with a magnificent innings, with support from Needham (41), Peter Stewart (8) and Dan Torrie (7 not out).

Although Stewart scored only eight runs, he played his part in a 21-run sixth-wicket partnership with Hollinshead that took Pirates to within 30 runs of victory with 7.3 overs remaining.

The game swung in favour of HSOB when Haden Fenn departed two runs after Stewart, leaving Hollinshead and Torrie, who batted with a broken right thumb, to steer the ship home.

Torrie was all class at his end, feeding the strike to Hollinshead.

PIRATES 209-8 (S Hollinshead 95 not out, R Needham 41; A Kamboj 3-33) def HSOB 208-7 (A Kumar 45, J Renouf 30, S Drain 30; T Hollis 2-24, A Smith 2-27, R Needham 2-36).