It has broken Otago Boys’ High School’s five-year reign with a three-run win against King’s High School in the final at Bayfield Park yesterday.
The school posted 121 for eight from its 20 overs, with Tom Dempster top-scoring with 33 from 24 deliveries and opener Harry Tourelle adding 23 from 15.
But the star was 15-year-old seamer Ben Hatton. He took three for 18 from his four overs and nabbed the key wicket of Beckham Wheeler-Greenall, who was on 45 and pacing the chase nicely.
His departure put pressure on the incoming players and King’s fell just short of the target.
Otago Boys’ had won the secondary school twenty20 tournament every year since it was introduced in 2012. But it fielded a below-strength team with many of the school’s top players away on a tour of Sri Lanka and India.
Wakatipu High School won the plate final with a convincing 51-run win against Taieri College.
Opener Cameron Jackson top-scored with 62 to help Wakatipu post 121 for four.
Taieri was dismissed for 70 in the 15th over with just two players reaching double figures. Cameron Ryall took three for 10 to help seal the win.
James Hargest College pupil Sam Downing was named tournament MVP. He scored 110 runs at an average of 27.5 and took six wickets at an average of 11.33. He also grabbed four catches.
