Cricket: Texans upbeat despite loss

Christian Leopard scored an unbeaten 101 runs. Photo / Duncan Brown

It goes without saying Napier Technical Old Boys premier men are despondent but they are brutally honest in their self-assessment after stumbling at the first hurdle in Auckland yesterday.

"It's very disappointing," Complete Flooring NTOB veteran player Craig Findlay said last night after they lost by 17 runs to Eastern Suburbs CC, of Wellington, in the opening match of the NZCT National Club Championship in Auckland.

"You see, we didn't deserve to win it but we could have won it so that's why it's so disappointing," Findlay said.

The Stevie Smidt-captained side came up shy even though New Zealand Under-19 representative Christian Leopard scored an unbeaten 101 runs from 78 balls in his 115-minute occupation that yielded nine boundaries and seven sixes at No 6.

"He was just dynamite. In fact, if Christian had had another over we would have won it," Findlay said.

"In our last few overs Christian made 26 runs in one over and 18 off another as we lost two wickets and were all out."

Eastern Suburbs captain Lance Dry won the toss at Cornwall Cricket Club and padded up to post what appeared to be a sub-par 197 runs from 50 overs for the loss of eight wickets.

Jamie Gibson was 90 not out at No 3 while the rest of his teammates failed to make it past 20 runs.

NTOB import allrounder Indika Senarathne took 2-25 from six overs while Smidt, Jurgen Andersen, Jayden Lennox and Leopard took a scalp each although Lennox was the most frugal in his allotted 10 overs.

In the run chase, the Texans didn't learn from their rivals' batting woes as no one really dug their toes in to hang around with Leopard as they were skittled for 180 runs with 15.1 overs to spare.

"We batted poorly with our top order 4-20," Findlay lamented, although he felt Ash Vodnala and Leopard's partnership was flourishing when the former fell lbw to opening seamer Ricky Joseph for 13 runs.

Veteran George Diack and Josh Paerau were caught leg side, prompting Findlay to claim "we didn't get much luck".

However, he was quick to laud the opposition bowlers, especially Joseph who claimed 4-23 off his 10 overs, including three maidens.

"That Joseph bloke took 10 wickets in his club competition."

In fact, the Suburbs boasted first-class players in Ili Tugaga, Alecz Day and Fraser Colson as well as former Irish international Pete Connell, who played for Havelock North CC and Hawke's Bay before heading overseas. Findlay is hoping NTOB will get its act together for today's game against Suburbs New Lynn (Auckland).

"If we can do the little things better we'll be fine," he said, hoping for a better skills and some luck.

Jeet Raval is out of New Lynn with a knee injury and Tech captain Liam Rukuwai was yesterday still consulting physiotherapist Martyn Sigley, a former CD rep, in Auckland for a back ailment.

In the other matches yesterday, New Lynn beat Manakau City (Northern Districts) by six wickets and St Albans (Canterbury) crushed Kaikorai (Otago) by 164 runs.

In today's games, St Albans play Manukau City and Kaikorai face Eastern Suburbs in the limited-overs competition.