For just the third time in the history of New Zealand’s NZCT National Club Cricket Championship, it was CD’s representative that hoisted the final national trophy of the season.

Unbeaten Napier Technical Old Boys captain Liam Rukuwai did the honours after his well drilled team swept aside Wellington’s competitive Onslow with a sharp seven-wicket win in the 1v2 Final on 15 April 2018.

Scorecard

Rukuwai and his teammates owed a toast to the groundsmen, and the weather gods, after the entire morning had been lost to wet weather, heavy rain having fallen at Auckland’s storm-damaged Cornwall Park overnight. It was 2.40pm before the match got underway,which then put the reduced 23-over match on a collision course with autumn’s late afternoon gloom.

But while the 3x4 and 5v6 Finals would finish in the dark, the “Texans” wouldn’t take that long to wrap up an outstanding few days.

Onslow won the toss and batted, a decision the Wellingtonians may have come to regret despite a positive and galloping start from both openers Andrew Fletcher and Tim Robinson with the bat.

At 39 without loss after just 5.2 overs, things were looking bright for Onslow — the only other unbeaten side which would would have claimed the championship title on superior net run rate had the two unbeaten teams not been able to get on.

After Stevie Smidt broke the opening stand for the Hawke’s Bay club, young Central Stags allrounder Christian Leopard took a wrecking ball to the Onslow middle order, starting with a huge wicket first ball — that of Wellington Firebird Malcolm Nofal, whom he bowled.

Leopard would add another wicket in each of his next two overs (both return grabs), finishing his five-over spell with an outstanding return of 3-8 and a maiden.

Jayden Lennox, Indika Senarathne (2-19), Robbie Brigham and Smidt (2-27) all swung in behind to keep the pressure on with regular wickets, Onslow’s number 10 Jack Sargentina the only other batsman outside the openers permitted to reach double figures.

Their tally was helped along by a rash of extras at the death, but the bowlers had already done the damage and ultimately rolled their opponents for just 108 on the big number one ground, captain Rukuwai claiming the final wicket with the last ball of the innings.

Needing fewer than five an over to take out the championship, the Texans didn’t have it all their own way as Wellington Firebird Alex Ridley made two snappy strikes — including the Texans’ 20-year-old batting hero of the tournament, Izaiah Lange, caught for just nine.

Opener Indika Senarathne had gone cheaply, too, however his opening partner Leopard was on fire for the big game and ultimately ensured they cruised home to the low target.

Man of the Match, Leopard belted five sixes (the last two for the win) and just one four as he carried his bat for an unbeaten 60 off just 55 balls, smashing the winning runs in the 19th over to complete a solid seven-wicket win.

The youngsters had helped lead the way. Lange was named the Player of the Tournament for his batting feats as Napier Tech Old Boys broke a 15-year-long drought to claim the club’s second national championship. Nelson’s Wanderers, who shared the title with Otago’s Green Island after a Finals day washout in 2000, is the only other CD team to have etched their name on the coveted trophy.

CDCA congratulates Napier Technical Old Boys on a superb finish to their season.