Cricket - 1st XI

Northern Districts Schools Gillette Cup Qualifier

Date: Friday, 27 March 2015

In Match One St Paul's got off to a poor start against Pukekohe High but the innings was held together by both Reed Fisher with 41 and Alastair Blackett who was the final wicket to fall for 61. There were other small contributions with Bede Higgens 18, Tom Yarrall 17 and Simon Morbey 17 as St Paul's made 198. In reply Pukekohe never really threatened the total as they were bowled out for 104. St Paul's took 3 good run outs while Chris Swanson and Tom Yarrall took 2 wickets each.

In match Two against Tauranga Boys, St Paul's again batted first and were in some early trouble before Chris Swanson 39, Alastair Blackett 48, Reuben Andrews 41, Tom Yarrall 49 slowly turned things around. Aubrey Fish played well late on for 28 not out and despite lacking a big score from a top order player St Paul's worked their way through to 257 for 9. Tauranga got off to a flying start to be 47 without loss from 5 overs before Tom Yarrall struck. Spinners Bede Higgens 3 for 22 from 10 and Eli Spadoni 2 for 28 from 10 turned the game for St Paul's and put the Tauranga batsmen under huge pressure. Tauranga were eventually bowled out for 204 for St Pauls to win by 53 runs.

Match Three was effectively a semi final against St Peter's. St Paul's won the toss and bowled on a damp surface. All the early bowlers put St Peter's under immense pressure with Tom Yarrall securing the big wicket of St Peter's captain Brandon Weal for 0. However it was the introduction of Chris Swanson who bowled a better fuller length in the damp conditions who decimated St Peter's in taking 6 for 19 in 9 overs for his second honours board bowling performance as St Peter's were rolled for only 61. In reply St Paul's were teetering at 27 for 3, but Dillon Kelliher 19, Bede Higgens 18 not out and Alastair Blackett 19 not out were able to see St Paul's home to a comfortable win.

In the final v Hamilton Boys St Paul's lost an important toss and had to field. St Paul's made a poor start with too many extras and misfields which prevented pressure to be built early as Boys High reached 68 without loss after 18 overs. The introduction of spinners Bede Higgens with 3 for 23 from 10 and Eli Spadoni 1 for 27 from 10 put the brakes on Boys High while Chris Swanson returned to take 4 for 45 as Boys High made 208 all out. St Pauls again got off to a disappointing start to be 32 for 3, but Swanson and Alastair Blackett 42 set about resurrecting the innings before Swanson was tragically run out for 23. Reuben Andrews with 57 then played a sparkling innings with shots all round the ground before he and Blackett were dismissed in quick succession. At 161 for 9 St Paul's were in danger of surrendering meekly but no 11 Scott Spence played a fine hand in getting 24 from 20 balls as he and Declan Keaney put Boys High under real pressure. With 2 balls to go Spence launched another big shot into the outfield which was caught just inside the rope and St Paul's fell only 10 runs short of victory on 198.

Top