Promising start for Hastings Boys' hockey side with pre-season double

The Hastings Boys' High School 1st XI hockey team played the first of their pre-season warm up games against their Super Eight School friends and rivals Gisborne Boys' High School at the Hawke's Bay Hockey Stadium in Napier last Wednesday.
Gisborne over recent seasons have been strong physically and technically proficient. They have been well coached again by Patrick Dewes , providing HBHS an excellent challenge in the two games.
The first period of the first game saw some excellent early chances for HBHS who should have scored. Gisborne became slowly became more dominant, forcing some excellent saves from HBHS goalkeeper Sam Deihl.
The visitors worked hard to create turnover and counter attacked well as HBHS tried too hard to force the game. They took the lead during a patch of sustained pressure.
As this first period drew to a close striker Dylan Thomas equalised. HBHS responded, increased the ball pace and decreased time they spent on the ball, making it harder for Gisborne to control play.
Year 10 forward Jake Webber scored, finishing off an excellent team passing move involving Nicholas Rogers-Rehn, captain Tim Green, Luke Bradley and Dylan Thomas.
After missing a few good chances, Webber notched up his second and third goal for a 3 -1 win.
While HBHS squandered chances in the first half of game two, the midfield's ability to pounce on loose balls saw forward Bradley find the net from a length of the field movement.
Amid a phase of high turnovers, Gisborne equalised.
At the breather, HBHS coach Dean Hulls emphasised the need to play a faster, more expansive game..
His troops responded, with Thomas causing a defensive headache for the visitors before scoring two excellent goals.
Lindisfarne
St Paul's batted first in the three-day, 1st XI cricket match and did well to reach 291-6 at stumps in Hamilton.
The St Paul's innings was over quickly the next morning for 331. Graydon Hambly was Lindisfarne's most successful bowler with 4-71 while George Perry and James Harrison chipped in with two wickets each. After being in early trouble at 26-3, a magnificent partnership of 175 between Michael D'Esposito and Oliver Morrison brought Lindisfarne back in to the game.
D'Esposito made a patient, composed 103 in four hours while Morrison changed the game with a positive 95, full of attacking strokes.
Angus Schaw and Sam Wallace continued the momentum with 50 and 37, respectively, to allow the team to reach 368 and a first innings lead of 37 at stumps.
Chasing 136 to win in 25 overs, Lindisfarne's two openers departed cheaply before Schaw blazed his way to 61 while Morrison provided the anchor with an unbeaten 39 to see Lindisfarne home for the loss of four wickets as they completed a memorable come-from-behind victory.
Consequently, Lindisfarne are the inaugural winners of the recently donated Stuart Duff Trophy.
In junior tennis, Lindisfarne were thrashed 10-2 in their first loss to St Paul's experienced juniors.
Although all members of the team fought well, never giving up, most were simply out-classed by more experienced opponents.Lindisfarne senior tennis team set out for Hamilton aiming to avenge their 2008 loss.
St Pauls drew first blood, beating Lindisfarne's No 3 doubles combination of Jock Barnes-Graham and Henry Yule.
However, the visitors Calum Ironside, Finn McIldowie, Ben Wynne Lewis, Michael Owen and the No 4 doubles of Tim Harker and Thomas Yule secured victories.
Ironside beat the Waikato-ranked player Wei Jin in three sets to send shock waves through the St Pauls team.
In the afternoon Jock Barnes Graham, Henry Yule and Harker won their singles and our two top doubles combinations also won for a 10-2 win.
Lindisfarne won the overall exchange 3-1.

Swimming:
Naomi Smit has been selected in the New Zealand age-group team to attend the Australian Age-Group Championship next month in Adelaide from April 18-23.
The Hawke's Bay youngster smashed two records at the recent New Zealand Age-Group Championship in Wellington - the 50m freestyle and the 50 backstroke. Smidt and her fellow Heretaunga Swimming Club club mate Emily Roberts, have been chosen to attend the Top Age Group Training Camp in Auckland from May 13-15.