The stage will be set for a rematch between last year’s form sides at the 2024 Secondary School Boys First XI Cup (formerly Gillette Cup), beginning Wednesday 11th December in Lincoln.
Defending champions, Christchurch Boys’ HS, will again meet Westlake Boys HS’, with whom they shared a back-and-forth match to eventually win the national crown.
Heading into the final round as the two unbeaten sides, Westlake took the match into the 49th over, before agonisingly falling 15 runs short.
Christchurch Boys’ HS hold a rich history of attending the tournament and will be looking to defend the title that they earnt in 2023.
CBHS have an incredible knack of turning their appearances into trophies – having won 12 tournaments from their 16 appearances.
Westlake will be led by tournament MVP, Jordan van Zyl, who was destructive with the bat during the 2023 tournament.
Van Zyl scored an impressive 247 runs at an average of 49, including three half-centuries.
Hutt International Boys’ School return to nationals after a string of national tournament appearances between 2014 – 2017.
These sides were headlined by current BLACKCAPS and Wellington Firebirds stars, Ben Sears, Rachin Ravindra and Troy Johnson.
Otago Boys HS will add a 22nd appearance to their belt, a record for all schools at the First XI Cup.
OBHS earnt their ticket to nationals on the back of a close victory against Kings High School and will be hopeful of improving on their fifth-place finish in 2023.
Napier Boys’ High School return to nationals, led by captain and CD U17 representative Jacob Cotter.
Cotter was among the top run-scorers at last year’s National U17 Tournament and will be a player to keep an eye on.
Relative newcomers, St Pauls Collegiate (Hamilton), will attend just their fifth First XI Cup, and first since 2014.
Beginning Wednesday 11th December, teams will play in five 50 over matches across six days.
Matches will be scored live at nzc.nz as well as PlayHQ.
COMPETITION CENTRE
SQUADS
Westlake Boys HS:
Squad: Logan Ferguson (c), Ryan Coetzee, Oliver Davies, Luke Harrison, Ethan Holman, Connor Jollivet, Connor Maccarthy-Morrogh, Brandon Matzopoulos, Nishil Patel, Adnan Sajjad, Darcy Taylor, Jordan Van Zyl, Alex Waldron.
St Pauls Collegiate:
Squad: Will Hadley (c), Lucas Hale, Finlay Bayne, Leyton Birch, Quintus Daniell, Kalen Lake, Finn Bell, Campbell Soanes, Maxwell Makeham, Campbell Boyd, Thomas Yetsenga, Liam Fisher, Jay Benefield.
Napier Boys’ HS:
Squad: Jacob Cotter (c), Zach Forster, Andrew Rawnsley, Oliver Beale, Matthew Marshall, Mitchell Innes, Sacha Pickering, Monty Field, Joshua Young, Daniel Geange, Luke McNally, Saul Barker, Bruno Moriarty.
Hutt International Boys’ School:
Squad: Connor Gatward (c), Benny Byrne, Ollie Saunderson, Aiden Bailey, Carter Birmingham, Fin Hourigan, Lewis Jeffreys, Tonian Raymond, Visakan Ramesh, Vrajesh Patel, Henry Lock, Joey Treacy, Joseph Keenan.
Christchurch Boys’ HS:
Squad: Callum Samson (c), Harry O'Loughlin, Blake Robinson, Todd Williams, Carter Woodgate, Corbyn McClurg, Sam Frame, Ben Forrest, Brennan Matla, Hanroux Wessels, Cam Jones, Jesse Jones, Henry Rumball, George Hiatt.
Otago Boys’ HS:
Squad: Luke Marsh (c), Ashton Hansen, Matt Parker, Alfie Omelvena-Flame, Ollie Turnbull, Max Boylen, Jack Ussher, Harry Bezett, Caleb Ede, Toby McClean, Oak Chisholm, Finlay Williamson, Brandon Turner.
