Cricket Report PNBHS 1st XI VS Freyberg CC - 09/12/18
Following a long week at Gillette Cup Finals, a weary PNBHS 1st XI were asked to field first in a virtual knock-out game against Freyberg on Manawaroa Park on Sunday. Some early wickets resulted from good bowling by the openers but the weariness soon told as a number of catches went down and lapses in fielding let the opposition build a stand of 109 runs. The 1st XI players remained calm and kept to their processes, however and once their two top scorers followed each other to the pavilion, they were able to squeeze the remaining batsmen into making errors. Freyberg were bowled out for 198 in the 49th over. Mr Davidson took 2 for 43, Bryn Wilson 2 for 36 and Thomas Kirk 2 for 20.
Facing a run-chase, PNBHS drew on their experiences from the previous week and, despite losing an early wicket, set about any loose bowling with venom. Craig Lawrence and Ruben Love put together a partnership of 84 in quick time, and Ruben stayed for the long haul to guide the team home in the 44th over. The 1st XI scored 202 for 6 with Craig getting 53 and Ruben 66 in a game that PNBHS bossed.
This meant that the PNBHS 1st XI finished top of the table in the Manawatu Premier 1 one-day competition and advance straight into the final on Fitzherbert Park on Sunday 16 December.
