Rain during the week greened the wicket block but the opposition skipper decided to bat as the Waitaki boys were fresh from a convincing 8 wicket victory over Otago Boys’ High School. Bowling first The Willows fast bowlers seamed the ball around on the green track. Wickets fell steadily with Luke Courtney taking out the middle stump (with a beautiful seaming delivery) of professional cricket coach Stefan Grobler. Todd Sutton and Ryan McEwan chimed in with two wickets each. The Willows scholarship player Mitchell Ross, who was leaving the following week to play a season at Maften, bowled 10 overs of his left arm spinners and took 4 for 31.

Waitaki/St Kevin’s were all out for 148 with Nathan Smith their top scorer with 26. The Willows got off to a tidy start and at the tea break were 59 for 3 from 18 overs with Grant Dickson 19 not out. Ryley Wilson was out just before tea for 21. All three wickets had been taken by Francois Mostert, another South African professional cricket coach with Oamaru Cricket Club who are celebrating 150 years of cricket in North Otago this year.

Rain intervened at tea and the match was abandoned. One of the delights in this match was the Principal of Christchurch Boys’ High School, Nic Hill playing for The Willows against Waitaki where he until June last year had been Deputy Principal. Nic’s six overs went for twenty runs with no Waitaki batsmen surrendering their wicket to their former school master.