Last Match of the Term for First XI

• Mount Albert Grammar School all out (48.5 overs)
• King’s College 122 all out (41.4 overs)

The hosts won the toss and batted first on a docile pitch and a near-perfect outfield. Katene Clarke, King’s nemesis in the previous encounter when the visitors were eliminated from the Gillette Cup, displayed ominous form as he looked comfortable against all the bowlers before he gifted away his wicket, going for an unnecessary boundary and getting caught at long-off. This was a huge relief for King’s because he has the capacity to score big and a total in excess of 200 was on the cards whilst he was in.

Some dogged partnerships steered Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) past 150, which was looking unlikely after the middle-order had departed, but this team is made up of fighters and the extravagant King’s bowlers conceded 42 wides, helping the hosts to reach a slightly challenging 166. Campbell Mabin, King’s most consistent bowler, picked up three wickets, conceding just 21 runs in his 10 overs and William St John grabbed two, including the valuable wicket of Clarke.

This was meant to be a mediocre total and King’s was confident of overhauling it on a slow wicket. Sam Wilson was adjudged LBW at 17/1 in the 8th over which brought the free-scoring Thorn Parkes in to partner Gray Hardy who returned to his preferred opening role as Marcus Gerbich-Pais was nursing a troublesome hamstring, picked up during fielding earlier in the day. This second wicket pair looked comfortable with Hardy happy to play the sheet-anchor role whilst Parkes looked to dominate the bowling with crisp drives and pulls.

When Hardy departed, via the leg-trap on the boundary, the score was 53/2 in the 16th over – the platform was set for a successful chase. Parkes was marching on to another significant innings when he bizarrely threw away his wicket, going for an unnecessary slog. Callum Douglas began tentatively but soon grew in confidence and settled in, taking over the job left by Parkes. His task became even greater with the loss of Tyler Jerram and the highly experienced skipper St John at 82/5 in the 27th over.

MAGS was sensing a major turn-around in fortunes at this point and lifted their intensity. Douglas had to be there in the end if the target was to be reached and he had the perfect partner in the rock-solid George Cory-Wright. At this juncture a match-winning partnership was needed to finish the season on a positive note and just as Douglas began unfurling some glorious strokes, the unthinkable happened and the most experienced batsmen in this team chose a high-risk stroke when the RRR was a mere 4 per over – 97 for 6 and MAGS was ready for the kill. The rest of the King’s order surrendered meekly and MAGS duly completed the double.