New Zealand Community Trust Junior Boys' Cup National Cricket Finals Tournament

The first round of the finals tournament of the New Zealand Community Trust Junior Boys’ cricket competition got underway in cool conditions at Owen Delany Park in Taupo today.

This is the seventh year of this competition for year 9 and 10 students. From the over 161 original school entries the competition has narrowed down to this finals tournament which comprises eight teams – the winning schools from each major cricket association together with the runners-up of the two associations with the largest number of entries.

The teams are divided into two pools of four teams. Over the first three days the teams play round robin matches in their pools. The teams are then ranked in their pools before playing crossover matches on day four to determine the champion team for 2008/09. Matches are of 40 overs duration.

Pool A:

Auckland Grammar School vs St Peter’s School

Toss: St Peter’s won the toss and elected to bat

St Peter’s School 133 (Thomasen 35, Tim Seifert 29, Black 5-22) lost to Auckland Grammar School 135 / 2 (Parslow 66*, Monterio 42*, Thomasen 2-34) by eight wickets.

St Peter’s won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked flat and hard. After losing an early wicket Jason Thomasen and Josh Oakley consolidated with a 55 run stand for the second wicket before Oakley was dismissed. St Peter’s struggled to create any meaningful partnerships from that point on and ended up losing their last seven wickets for just 12 runs. Michael Black for Auckland Grammar was the pick of the bowlers with five for 22. In reply, Auckland Grammar cruised to an eight wicket win thanks to an unbeaten 111 runs third wicket partnership between Taffarel Monterio and James Parslow.

Palmerston North Boys High School vs John McGlashan College

Toss: Palmerston North BHS won the toss and elected to bat

Palmerston North Boys High School 278 / 5 (Noema-Barnett 117*, Leenards 76) beat John McGlashan College 86 (Sam Rowley 32, Corey Perrett 3-2D, Daniel Moore 3-23) by 192 runs.

Palmerston North Boys High made a 278 for five with the bulk of the runs coming from a second wicket partnership of 166 between captain Arana Noema-Barnett and Jack Leenards. Noema-Barnett broke the record for the highest individual score at the final’s tournament reaching 117 not out. Leenards supported well with a well complied 76. In reply John McGlashan struggled to create partnership and ended up being bowled out for 86.

Pool B:

Christchurch Boys High School vs Scots College

Toss: Scots College won the toss and elected to bowl

Christchurch Boys High School 185 (Campbell 38, Lawrence 3-23, Ravi 3-29) beat Scots College 132 (Ravi 42, Benton 6-18) by 53 runs.

Christchurch Boys made a tentative start after being put into at on a slow, damp pitch. They eked their way to 109 for 7 before Nathan Campbell (38) anchored the last part of the innings to help Christchurch through to a respectable total of 185 all out. This included an eighth wicket stand of 45 runs between Harry Kennedy and Grayson Papatua. For Scots, Chandler Ravi and Joshua Lawrence were the pick of the bowlers taking three for 29 and three for 23 respectively. The Scots reply got off to a positive start with an opening partnership of 41. However from that point on wickets fell regularly and Scots were eventually bundled out for 132. Christchurch captain Jeremy Benton led the bowling attach and finished with impressive figures of six for 18.

Hamilton Boys High School vs Wanganui Collegiate School

Toss: Wanganui won the toss and elected to bowl

Hamilton Boys High School 206 / 7 (Kearney 85, Charlie Robson 3-31) beat Wanganui Collegiate School 106 (Santner 3-10) by 100 runs.

Hamilton Boys High School were in trouble early, losing two wickets cheaply before Jonty Kearney came to the wicket and anchored the innings with a fine 85. This helped them through to an imposing 206 from their 40 overs. Wanganui never threatened the total as their total contribution was just 106. Elliot Santner did most of the damage for Hamilton with tidy figures of three for ten from eight overs.