Lindisfarne College 1st XI captain Harry Mowat with his troops before competing at the Central Districts-qualifying tournament from tomorrow. Photo/Paul Taylor
Lindisfarne College 1st XI captain Harry Mowat with his troops before competing at the Central Districts-qualifying tournament from tomorrow. Photo/Paul Taylor
In four decades of mentoring cricket at various levels, Colin Schaw has come across all sorts of rhetoric in the changing rooms to help formulate sound policies to plot the downfall of opposition teams.
But what has impressed Schaw more over that duration is the ability of players to recognise other intangible qualities that play a pivotal role in helping chisel sharp minds, especially at an impressionable age.
For the 54-year-old from Tikokino it's thoroughly rewarding to coach the Lindisfarne College 1st XI players who tee up themselves for success with the right attitude and hunger to improve.
"I'd just love to get this guys to Christchurch, after Palmerston, so that's my goal," says Schaw before they departed as the Hawke's Bay representatives for the Central Districts-qualifying tournament in Palmerston North from tomorrow. The schoolboys play Taranaki qualifiers, New Plymouth Boys' High School, from 11am at Fitzherbert Park in the two-day playoffs while Palmerston North Boys' High host Marlborough Boys' College on an adjacent wicket.
The victors will progress to the final the following day at the same venue to decide who will progress as the CD qualifiers to the national championship at Lincoln, near Christchurch, in December this year. They will face the qualifiers from the other five major association districts around the country to see who will lift the Gillette Cup.
Schaw got the opportunity to take the Lindisfarne team to Scots College last year, which gave him renewed vigour to continue this year after he had lost his position as coach with the Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative team.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed it with these boys," he says, alluding to how at that age the game tends to be up and down.
"One minute you're on a high and the next things can happen so quickly in one or two overs."
With the exemplary teenagers, he finds the batting line up has composure and balance that will go on to serve them in their formative years.
Sam Ferguson is bringing CD Under-17 experience this summer, after making the most of the opportunity to put his hand up to open batting after the incumbent wasn't available late last year.
Captain Harry Mowat, also of CD age-group pedigree, has built a rapport with Ferguson while Bailey McDonald, at first drop, Hunter Lowe and Lovepreet Padda add impetus.
"I really rate this guy," he says of allrounder Padda, who is under the tutelage of former Hawke's Bay and CD Stag batsman Indika Senaratne. "He'll bowl for the first XI in time but it's just a matter of getting some experience."
Lowe, Freddie Mowat, recovering from back complications, Sam Moore, Tom Klingender and the ever-reliable Brandon Roberts will spearhead the Farne bowling attack. McDonald's offspin deliveries will offer the captain some variation.
"I think we're just beginning to gel in going away to play and I also think they're beginning to realise how important it is now to play for the school and what it puts out for them."
Lindisfarne College 1st XI cricket coach Colin Schaw is throughly enjoying mentoring the schoolboys and hoipes to take them all the way to the Gillette Cup. Photo/file
Schaw says qualifying tournaments always become platforms for the teenagers to catch the eye of selectors for higher honours, such as CD U17s and U19s.
"There's no better place to go than to this tournament to get that opportunity because everyone's here and sees what you're doing."
The stock agent reveals the schoolboys have had their share of trying times.
"We've lost one or two games we shouldn't have so they've certainly picked themselves up to get through to the Gillete Cup qualifiers."
Schaw says the undefeated Lindisfarne side had beaten Napier Boys' High School 1st XI in their opening Bay qualifier by seven wickets.
"They [NBHS] really surprised me in falling over terribly," he says after the spin trio of Ferguson (3-20), McDonald (1-23) and Roberts (1-31) swung the momentum as NBHS went from 44-0 to 63-2, 92-4,118-6 and, eventually, 167 all out in 49.1 overs.
In the run chase, Hammond (38 runs) and Mowat (65) pushed the total to 109-1 at the 23-over mark before McDonald (12no) and Max Devonshire (17no) saw them eclipse the target with 169-3 with 79 balls to spare.
Lindisfarne then beat Hastings Boys' High School 1st XI by 32 runs in the second round on Thursday, February 28, in the Bay final.
Devonshire, who had received his first XI cap that day, contributed 47 runs and Lowe 31 as the team were skittled for 148.
HBHS managed 116 all out with Roberts taking 4-11, Mowat 2-17 and Lowe 2-36.
"Hastings Boys put up more of a fight as a well-coached side so I think we did well to get past them," says Schaw.
Lindisfarne last represented CD at the Gillette Cup nationals in 2014 when Bay representative batsman Dominic Thompson was a student.
TEAM:Jack Hammond, Sam Ferguson, Harry Mowat (c), Bailey McDonald, Max Devonshire Hunter Lowe, Lovepreet Padda, Finn Calder, Sam Moore, Brandon Roberts, Fred Mowat, Tom Klingender.
