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A win from the final ball was an exciting start to the Hibiscus Coast’s premier men’s cricket team first one day game for the season.
The game, versus Kumeu, was played on Saturday December 4 at home on Victor Eaves Reserve in Ōrewa.
It came down to the wire, with Coast chasing down Kumeu’s 243 and needing to score one from the last ball to win. Tyran Van Der Westhuizen was up to the task, and scored the winning run.
Anchoring the run chase for the Coast was all rounder Ramesh Lakmal, with 96 runs off 90 balls, including a partnership of 70 with Tyran.
While most of the team are in their 20s, it includes a group of teenage players who all had an impact on the match – including a top bowling performance by Harlin Amaral, aged 17, who took three wickets for 45 runs on debut, off eight overs.
This was also the first premier game for 17-year-old wicket keeper/batter Rustin Langford. He took a key catch to dismiss the first Kumeu batter. Another 17-year-old – all rounder Isaac Miller – took two catches.
Tim Coetzee, also 17, is a leg spinner who is currently injured but is in the Hibiscus Coast youth academy and Auckland development squad.
Club manager Gair McSkimming says the close match was a great start to the season, particularly noting the contribution that the youngest players made.
“The future looks very bright with those players coming through the ranks,” he says.
The team’s next home game was on December 18 versus Birkenhead and there will be a T20 at home against Takapuna towards the end of January which Gair says the club hopes to turn into a fun event for families, complete with food trucks and bouncy castles as well as some great cricket action.
