Photo: nzherald
Napier Boys’ High School fell short in their quest for a historic first national secondary schools First XI cricket title as rain ended their final match against defending champions Christchurch Boys’ High School. Despite an impressive bowling effort that had Christchurch struggling at 23-4, a crucial 103-run partnership helped the home side post a competitive 181. Napier’s chase was cut short at 122-6 in the 39th over when rain intervened, resulting in a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) countback loss by 15 runs.
The tournament, formerly known as the Gillette Cup, saw Napier excel in run chases throughout the competition, building confidence ahead of the decider. Key contributions from Zach Forster (42), Ollie Beale (35), and Monty Field (25*) kept Napier in the hunt before the weather had the final say. Christchurch Boys’ retained their title, leaving Napier’s wait for a national championship victory to continue.
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