We couldn’t have asked for a better morning to kick off the season. The ground looked a picture and would rival any other in the country. Skipper Richie McCaw won arguably the most important coin toss of his career and elected to bat first.

The first star of the day was James Richards, who turned back the clock to his peak form, with a classy 81. OBHS coach Hunter Kindley showed his players why he was worth listening to, scoring the first century of the season. With a strong foundation set, current New Zealand representative Zak Foulkes added a quick-fire 54, with Ben McCormack making a rapid 64. We ended with a record-breaking innings score of 380 — a true reflection of the quality of Alan Gilmour’s Willows pitch.

The Otago boys had to negotiate a tough opening spell from old boy McCaw, who demonstrated his fitness by bowling eight overs on the trot. The pressure from the run rate proved too much, especially with the squeeze applied by spinners Andrew Nuttall and debutant Zack Croft through the middle. Notable mentions to Ashton Hansen, Luke Marsh and Toby McClean, who showed promise with the bat. In all, it was a fantastic day to kick off the season. Special thanks to the whole OBHS contingent, including Rector Richard Hall, for making the trip up after severe flooding in Dunedin.