KEY POINTS:
Brendon Strydom has his sights set on a fitting farewell present for his cricket-playing mates when he leaves Pakuranga College at the end of the year.
The South African-born 17-year-old followed a century in the previous round with a match-winning, and school record, 200 not out as Pakuranga beat Liston College by an innings and 155 runs to make it two from two.
Sharing the lead in the 1B championship two-day matches, Pakuranga have their sights set on the step up to the 1A grade for the first time.
Strydom and his largely multi-national team-mates are in sparkling form, but having their feet kept firmly on the ground by coach John McGregor.
"They are playing well and deserve the chance of promotion," said McGregor. "Brendon is a key. This is his last year at school after showing more than useful form in his year's in the first X1. The key for us will be in identifying players we can bring in if we do win promotion."
Johnathon Kraay, Jayden Morris and spinners Shahvir Irani and Markus Schobel were all among the wickets in bundling Rosmini out for 95 and 106.
The biggest surprise, however, came in the 1A one-day championship with Rosmini scoring their first win over Kings in a nail-biter.
Batting first after winning the toss at Rosmini, Kings scored only 139 as Matt Young and Jamie Mathieson picked up five wickets between them.
Coasting at 88 for three in reply, Rosmini then lost their way at 104 for nine before captain Sean McCann played the trump hand in a last-wicket 36-run partnership to grab the win.
There was no such drama elsewhere with Westlake BHS, Auckland Grammar, Kelston BHS, Sacred Heart and St Kentigern all scoring comfortable wins.
Ryan Turner (AGS) and Tony Manning (WBHS) led the way with match-winning centuries. David Goddard (also AGS) was the best of the bowlers with 4-13 in their 215-run win over Avondale College.
Multisport
After ruling the roost for many years, Rangitoto College will be a notable absentee when the first of the new season's events are decided today.
The triathlon team tag championship will be contested over the usual swim, cycle, run disciplines in social, junior, intermediate and senior grades, but with Rangitoto not at Maraetai Beach to defend the senior girls' title they won last year.
Rangitoto were also second in the senior boys last year.
Rowing
Visiting Waikato Diocesan took the honours in the glamour under-18 girls eights in the 71st Head of the Harbour regatta on Lake Pupuke on Saturday. In a closely contested race, the Waikato crew just pipped Baradene College with King's College third.
Given the resurgence in rowing on the back of the success the sport is enjoying internationally, it was little surprise entries for the Bayleys-sponsored regatta were well up on last year.
The boys' eights was won by Auckland Grammar, who pushed defending champions Kings back to second with St Kentigern taking third. Westlake BHS took overall honours from Hauraki Plains College and Takapuna Grammar. Boosted by their win in the big girls' race, Waikato Diocesan finished a highly commendable fifth in the overall points tally.
Water polo
Westlake BHS have secured early-season bragging rights in the premier boys' grade after upsetting national champions Rangitoto College 5-4.
Buoyed by that Friday night win at the Millennium Pool, WBHS returned to the same venue two days later to swamp Rosmini 16-2 and continue their strong start. Rangitoto bounced back to beat Massey HS 15-4 in their second game of the weekend.
Unbeaten through the early rounds, Auckland Grammar and Sacred Heart are ensuring it will be a long, hard-fought race. AGS scored two big wins and Sacred Heart ended the unbeaten run enjoyed by Auckland Grammar's second team with their 5-4 win, which they followed with a solid 8-5 win over St Kentigern. In a minor surprise, Kings beat AGS2 by that same 5-4 scoreline. It was not a good round for Rangitoto, with their girls beaten 6-5 by early pacesetters Diocesan, who followed that win with a 9-3 success over Epsom GGS. Diocesan are joined at the top of the table by Westlake GHS, who beat St Cuthberts 6-0 and then romped to a 24-2 win over Carmel.
Coming up
TODAY: Multisport, team tag triathlon, Maraetai Beach from 10.30am.
Cricket, girls (4pm), premier/senior A, pool A, Avondale v Diocesan, Avondale, EGGS v MAGS, Melville 4a. Pool B, MRGS v Baradene, MRGS.
FRIDAY: Volleyball, premier boys, at Avondale, Avondale v Otahuhu 4pm, AGS v Otahuhu 5pm, Avondale v AGS 6pm. At Long Bay, Long Bay v MAGS 4pm, Aorere v MAGS 5pm, Long Bay v Aorere 6pm. At Mangere, Mangere v Sir Edmund Hillary 4pm, Mangere v KBHS 5pm, Sir Edmund Hillary v KBHS 6pm. At Penrose, Penrose v Manurewa 4pm, Manurewa v De La Salle 5pm, Penrose v De La Salle 6pm.
SATURDAY: Cricket, 1A (one-day matches, 11am, home team first), pool A, AGS v KBHS, Rangitoto v TGS, WBHS v Avondale. Pool B, Kings v Macleans, Sacred Heart v MAGS, St Kentigern v Rosmini. 1B (two-day matches, 12.30pm, home team first), Liston v St Kentigern, Pakuranga v Rangitoto, St Peters v Papatoetoe, WBHS v AGS. North Harbour premier (8.30am, home team first), Kristin v WBHS 5th X1, Rangitoto v Birkenhead, TGS v Long Bay, WBHS 4th X1 v Glenfield.
Volleyball, premier girls, at Aorere, McAuley v Aorere 9am, Mangere v Aorere 10am, McAuley v Mangere 11am. At Avondale, Otahuhu v MAGS 9am, Otahuhu v Avondale 10am, MAGS v Avondale 11am. At Rangitoto, Manurewa v Rangitoto 9am, Green Bay v Rangitoto 10am, Manurewa v Green Bay 11am.
MONDAY: Softball, boys, south zone (all Norana Park), Sir Edmund Hillary v Otahuhu 4pm, Aorere v Sir Edmund Hillary 5pm. East zone (all Meadowlands), Howick v St Kentigern 4pm, Botany Downs v Howick 5pm. Counties (all Prince Edwards Park), Papakura v Manurewa, Pukekohe v Rosehill 4pm; Papakura v Pukekohe, Rosehill v Manurewa 5pm.
TUESDAY: Volleyball, premier boys, at Avondale, Avondale v De La Salle 4pm, Long Bay v Mangere 5pm. At KBHS, KBHS v Manurewa 4pm, AGS v Aorere 5pm. At Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Edmund Hillary v Otahuhu 4pm, Penrose v MAGS 5pm.
