"We had two training sessions in a row before the tournament," says captain Joey Field, revealing it was also for the benefit of three newcomers, Fergus Whyte, Ollie Burns and Sachan Dadrah.
"Scott blended in quite well with his experience because we play 110-over matches at the tournament," says Field after their success at the tourney staged at Donnelly and Weraroa parks from December 14-17.
The team of 12, brushing aside disruptions from inclement weather, beat Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Horowhenua-Kapiti before posting an outright and six-wicket victory over Taranaki in the two-day, four-innings final.
Field and vice-captain Will Clark laid down the platform. The pair tied on most runs, 165 each, accumulated in the week.
"Against Horowhenua-Kapiti we batted together for the first time and we had a partnership of 200 runs so that was pretty amazing," says No 4 Field of No 3 Clark, hopeful they will carry that alliance into the under-17 and under-19s teams.
Field, who will be a year 11 pupil at Hastings Boys' High School, also took the most wickets (12) for a pace bowler.
The succession plan also emerges in the captaincy template.
Right-arm opening bowler Field normally plays an age group above in the under-17s as vice-captain to Todd Watson. He was at the helm of the U15s for the first and last time this year.
Clark will be the only player returning to the U15s next summer and, as Field succeeded last year's skipper, George Cranswick, one can assume century-making Clark will be the logical choice.
"Dad helps a lot with captaincy with things like strategy and advice," says Field of father Steve Field who is the U15s manager.
Joey Field's feat is accentuated when talking into consideration that he was out with a broken collarbone - the result of an accident during a PE class - from term two in May.
"I broke it one day before I was making my debut for the [HBHS] first XI football team," says the striker whose brother Sam was the captain as well as the dux at HBHS this year.
The family has been in Canterbury this week, supporting another son, James, compete as a member of the CD team during the annual national under-19 tourney at Lincoln.
Sam, who was national under-15 football rep two years ago, was an HBHS first XI cricketer who used to open the batting with James but the holding midfielder will now attend Canterbury University to pursue a degree in engineering.
Joey Field, Clark and Ollie Kyle have been named in the Central Districts U15 tournament team.
James is a goalkeeper.
Asked where the sporting prowess comes from, Joey Field says: "Playing against each other in the backyard well into the night."
Pivotal to their success is the support from their father and mother Raewyn who works as a team leader at HBHS.
"Mum, Sam and James were involved in a bad car crash a day after dad took his redundancy four years ago," says Joey Field whose father is again seeking employment with a bank, after helping out as a volunteer at the ICC World Cup early this year.
The CD U19s finished third at the nationals yesterday when they beat Northern Districts after rain abandoned the semifinals.
The Hawke's Bay Under-15 boys' team results from the CD tournament in Levin last week:
* HB 254-9 decl (Will Clark 110) bt Wairarapa 57 all out and 60-9 (Joey Field 8-12) by 147 runs.
* HB 216-9 decl (Ollie Kyle 64, Field 47) bt Manawatu 77 all out (Field 5-32, Hamish Jackson 3-13) by 139 runs.
* HB 284-5 decl (Clark 136, Field 88) bt Horowhenua-Kapiti 67 all out (Jack Hammond 6-13) by 217 runs.
* Two-day, four-innings final: Taranaki 148 all out off 61.5 overs (Jackson 4-26, Field 3-31) HB 62-4 off 18.3 overs (Field 26no, Kyle 20) won by outright and six wickets.
* Taranaki 80 all out off 41.5 overs (Field 4-16, Avjind Hayer 3-15) lost to HB 168 all out off 45.2 overs (Sachan Dadrah 65, Hayer 26no).
