Governor General’s XI 314-4 in 50 overs (Luke Georgeson 125, Hamish Marshall 99, Nick Greenwood 45; Kuwyn Price 2-60) beat New Zealand Maori Schoolboys 307-5 in 50 overs (Ollie White 118, Ruben Love 77*, Rhys Mariu 36, Kuwyn Price 29; Jono Sole 3-56) by 7 runs at Karori Park, Wellington.
Centuries from Luke Georgeson and Oli White have been the highlights of the New Zealand Maori Schoolboys inaugural match against the New Zealand Governor General’s XI in Wellington this afternoon.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Maori Schoolboys got off to a strong start with the Governor General’s XI opener Gareth Severin falling for just five, caught behind off the bowling of Ryan Jackson.
In came former BLACKCAP Hamish Marshall who alongside Georgeson began to build a second wicket partnership that would eventually be worth 164 runs.
Georgeson reached his half-century first off 59 balls, littering Karori Park with quality cricket shots showing why he’s highly rated by Cricket Wellington and national age group selectors.
Marshall was next to raise the bat, off just 36 balls, with three fours and three sixes, proving he’s still got the goods after retiring from professional cricket last season.
The 40-year-old continued his batting onslaught, hitting the Maori Schoolboys bowlers around the park, looking a shoe-in for a deserved ton, before St Andrews College’s Rhys Mariu had the last laugh, bowling Marshall middle stump for 99.
The wicket did little to halt the Governor General XI run-rate as Georgeson and Wellington’s Nick Greenwood continued to build a big total, putting on another 107 runs for the third wicket.
Georgeson raced to his century, reaching the milestone in 148 minutes off 114 balls, finding the boundary 14 times.
The 19-year-old eventually fell for 125 with the Governor General XI’s total at 300 before New Zealand under 19 wicketkeeper Callum McLachlan and Tawa College’s Micah Conroy added a few more reaching 314/4 off the 50 overs.
The Maori Schoolboys were strong in their response. After losing Nathan Robinson for just three in the third over, captain Oli White and Mariu put on 87 for the second wicket with White bringing up his 50 in just 39 balls.
Mariu was caught behind off the bowling of Jono Sole for 36 shortly after, leaving the New Zealand Maori XI 102/2 after 15 overs.
White continued to push on alongside Kuwyn Price, but when Price fell for 29 off some tight bowling from Conroy, the run-rate slowed creating scoreboard pressure for the Maori Schoolboys who went in to the final 10 overs still requiring 116 runs to win.
White continued and reached his century off 109 balls with good company in Palmerston North Boys High School’s Ruben Love but was finally removed by Sole for 118.
A late flourish from Love, including smashing 25 off the 47th over, provided a late surge for the Maori Schoolboys and meant they needed 24 off the last two overs to win.
They grabbed 10 off the 49th but a calm final over bowled by Sole halted the Maori Schoolboy’s momentum and saw them fall just 8 runs from victory.
