St Paul’s 1st XI has taken out the title for the Student Horizons T20 Competition in Auckland which ran from Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 January.
The competition included four big Auckland cricketing schools – St Kentigerns, Kelston Boys High School, Auckland Grammar and Westlake Boys High School – and St Paul’s.
The first day of the tournament was rained out, leaving the competition to switch to artificial. Coach Garth Littlejohn says to beat four top Auckland schools in just two days, winning title, was an amazing effort. He also says that Tom Harsant receiving the bowlers award was one of the highlights of the tournament.
Match overview
Playing St Kentigern in the first game, St Paul’s had a poor match in the field but still managed to restrict St Kentigern to 128 for 7. Best of the bowlers were Bede Higgens 2 for 23 from 3 and Tom Yarrall 2 for 25 from 4. In reply, St Paul’s got off to a steady start but it was Aditya Sakalkale 26, Reuben Andrews 18 and Simon Morbey 25 not out from 13 that provided the hitting power to win the game by 4 wickets and 2 overs to spare.
In the afternoon St Paul’s got off to a bad start in the field, conceding 185 for 7 including 36 extras to Kelston Boys High School. However through Tom Yarrall with 56 including 3 consecutive sixes, Aditya Sakalkale 23 and Reuben Andrews 26 got St Paul’s close. Bede Higgens 13 not out and Devon Nolan 17 not out from 6 balls finished the game with 2 sixes with 7 balls to spare.
In the semis St Paul’s faced Auckland Grammar. The innings was built around Dillon Kelliher who smashed 85 from 61 balls. He was supported by Kippa Fawcett 32 as the team made 155 for 4. St Paul’s had to bowl, field and catch much better which they duly did in bowling Auckland Grammar out for 140. Tom Harsant bowled very well to take 3 for 21 from 4, while Chris Swanson 3 for 16 from 3 and Simon Morbey 2 for 24 from 4 bowled beautifully into the wind.
In the final St Paul’s again lost the toss and were asked to field by Westlake Boys High School. They responded brilliantly and bowled Westlake Boys High School out for 113. Tom Harsant set the tone with a brilliant run out, among 3 the team made for the innings. Simon Morbey 2 for 26 from 4 and Chris Swanson 2 for 14 from 3.2 bowled beautifully into the wind, while Tom Harsant took 2 for 7 from 3. In reply Dillon Kelliher 29 and Reuben Andrews 35 played powerfully to be cruising at 72 for 2 before both ran themselves out to give Westlake Boys High School a sniff. However captain Swanson played calmly for 29 not out from 25 to see St Paul’s home for the title with 4 overs to spare.
Keeper Reed Fisher did a fine job behind the stumps keeping in 3 of the 4 matches with 3 catches, a stumping and several runouts.
