Shirley Boys vs Southland Boys Cricket Exchange 2022

This year the cricket exchange was played here in Christchurch and only involved the 1st XI teams. Due to heavy rain in the two days just before the exchange the 1st days play was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Instead the boys participated in 2 ‘friendly’ games of indoor cricket at the Rawhiti Eastern Canopy. With better weather on the 2nd day the game was played at St Albans Park on an artificial pitch with the result to be decided over 60 overs aside.

1st XI Game

Shirley Boys batted first and made a slow steady start being 88/2 after 30 overs. Mitch Gilmore was the backbone of the innings scoring 73 and Tyler Burns chipped in with some useful runs later in the order. The score of 190/9 looked competitive on a slow outfield but the Shirley bowlers knew they would have to bowl well if they were to win. Despite a good start having Southland 30/2, a big partnership of 125 between the next 2 Southland batsman put them on top. A couple of late wickets gave Shirley some hope but Southland kept their cool and eventually passed the target 5 wickets down. The pick of the Shirley bowlers were Tyler Birns with 2 wickets and Ekam Singh who bowled his 12 overs for a miserly 9 runs .

Shirley BHS 190/9 in 60 overs (Mitchell Gilmore 73,Tyler Burns 39) lost to Southland BHS 191/5 off 56 overs (Tyler Burns 2/45, Ekamjot Singh 0/9 off 12 overs)