School team up with the big boys

New Plymouth Boys' High School will host its first premier grade semi-final after giving Woodleigh an old-fashioned hiding in their the Revital Fertilisers Premier one-day cricket match at the weekend.

Woodleigh won the toss and elected to bat with discarded Taranaki opener Jesse Vertongen giving the selectors something to ponder as he held the Woodleigh innings together with 58. Vertongen was the only batsman to make double figures as Woodleigh were dismissed for 101. If there was any thought of batting being difficult, no one told NPBHS opener Sebastian Lauderdale Smith as he put the game beyond doubt very quickly with a hard hit 70 off just 53 balls. NPBHS won by nine wickets inside 16 overs.

New Plymouth Marist United will head into the semi-finals as top qualifier after defeating Francis Douglas by three wickets.

Francis Douglas arguably put up its best showing of the season with the batsmen finally posting a total their bowlers could defend. Opening the innings, Terry Norgate got the scoreboard ticking over with a well compiled 45. When Jacob Mortensen was dismissed FDMC found itself 109 for 4 after 29 overs. Murray Speed came to the crease to join his son Shane and together the pair put on an unbroken 109-run partnership with FDMC posting 218 for 4, Shane Speed finished on 64 not out and Murray finished on 32.

In reply, Jarred Cunningham got NPMU off to a flyer as he clubbed his way to 45 off 35 balls. While the FDMC bowlers could not stem that flow of runs, they did take wickets and at one stage NPMU was 163 for 6. Jacob Richards top scored with 48 and with the run rate never going to be a factor it was a former College boy, Sean Mosquera, who led NPMU to victory with an unbeaten 32.

NPMU will take on Inglewood as it easily accounted for Stratford. Inglewood, batting first, found itself in trouble at 99 for 6 with six of the top seven failing to make 10. Number 3 Luke Dravitzki top-scored with 51 and with the tail wagging Inglewood posted 188 for 9 from its 50 overs. From the onset of the run chase, Stratford was never in it, losing wickets regularly. Nine batsmen failed to make double figures and Stratford was dismissed in the 29th over for just 78.

NPBHS will face NPOB in the semi-finals as NPOB completed a comfortable victory over Hawera. Winning the toss and batting first Hawera posted 139 all out with Jack Fowler top-scoring with 49. NPOB opener Myles Simkin played the only way he knows how and swung the willow freely, scoring 85 off 69 balls, Simkin was only dismissed when the scores were tied with NPOB completing the victory by six wickets.

The semi-finals are scheduled for Sunday, December 1, starting at 11am. NPMU will play Inglewood at Lynmouth Park, while NPBHS will face NPOB at Boys' High's top field.