The Willows Cricket Club

14/04/2026

Our thoughts are with the Cornelius family at this sad time

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Canterbury cricketer Cleighten Cornelius (First Class Cap #535), following a short battle with cancer.

A right-arm pace bowler, Cleighten represented Canterbury between 2001 and 2005, playing three First-Class and ten List A matches. He wore the Red & Black with pride and made a valued contribution to our cricketing community, both in Christchurch and in his home region of Marlborough.

Cleighten will be remembered not only for his efforts on the field, but for the person he was off it.

Our thoughts are with Cleighten’s family, friends, and teammates at this difficult time.

23/03/2026

MATCH REPORT: The Willows vs. Hutt International Boys’ School - 22 March 2026

We welcomed Hutt International Boys School for the third time to the Willows, almost 24 months to the day after their fine victory in 2024. Coach Jack Imray and Manager Ted Grieve had the team very well prepared and looking forward to the match on a sunny Canterbury day though there was enough dew on the ground early to have the umpires questioning the start time.

Both captains agreed to get underway and HIBS captain Ishan Patel called incorrectly allowing the Willows captain to break the trend of the previous fortnight and choose to bat first. This seemed a very sound decision as the total raced past 80 before the drinks break, Carl Petersens dismissal in the 16th over for 62 slowing the scoring rate. The opening partnership of 88 with Jake Wilson (28) set a wonderful platform but the HIBS spin attack along with the return of left armer Patel to the bowling crease stemmed the flow of runs. Partnerships would only muster between 10 and 20 runs for the remainder of the innings, Willows battling to be all out in the penultimate over for 179. Henry Rumball (27) and Toby Pilkington (27) the only other scores of note. Ishan Patel with 4-27 and Will Ashton 3 -17 the pick of a bowling attack that was very disciplined, allowing only 4 extras in the innings and maintaining good consistent pressure on their opposition.

The Willows XI bowling was led off by Callum Temple-Doig and William Bretherton, both bowling with exceptional control of line and length, both taking a wicket early while also keeping the run rate to a bare minimum. Bretherton’s 10 over on the trot spell conceded just 28 runs, a fine effort on a warm Canterbury day. The introduction of spinners Mason McLachlan and Brennan Matla continued the pressure; HIBS being reduced from 95 for 3 to 136 for 7 in the 38th over. Temple-Doig came back to snare another wicket and our Novocastrian pair of Matfen CC visitors Pilkington and Ollie Birkett attempted to rescue the situation as the run chase tightened but it would be Ishan Patel playing an excellent strategic captains knock to take HIBS to victory 9 down with 7 balls remaining. Earlier Jack Gearie (34) and Harry Dando (27) had provided the base for the chase, but it would be Patel, Frankie Tracy and Will Greive who would steer the team home, amid some good natured advice from the Willows XI.

Mason McLachlan (3-37) was the pick of the bowlers that performed very well defending an under par total, as always some half chances being taken would have helped the cause but all in all a magnificent days cricket with a close result and played in exceptional spirit by both teams.

It was great to see some HIBS old boys, who have now seen the light and at Uni in Canterbury, coming to support the boys along with some parents.

As Ishan took the plaudits and man of the match prize for HIBS, a special mention was made of Michael Singleton on the occasion of his 50th match for the Willows. It is a great achievement and he took the opportunity to note to the assembled crowd how many opportunities and how much enjoyment on and off the field that cricket has afforded him – with of course the Willows experience being a major part of this.

We wish HIBS all the best for the remainder of the year and look forward to seeing a few of the team back in 2028. Thanks to Jack, Ted and Paul Brennan for their organisation of the trip, umpires Anvesh Achanta and David Miller for their work and particularly Bryan O’Sullivan who stepped into the scorers chair at short notice.

A great day at the Willows despite the result.

Match Summary

Willows 178 all out from 48.4 overs
C Petersen 62, J Wilson 28, I Patel 4-27, W Ashton 3-17

Hutt International Boys School 179 for 9 off 48.5 overs
J Gearie 34, I Patel 28 *, M McLachlan 3-36, C Temple-Doig 2-27 O Birkett 2-32

Tom Music - Willows Captain

23/03/2026

19/03/2026

MATCH REPORT: Canterbury Country Schools v The Willows - Sunday 15th March 2026

Another beautiful day at NZ’s Home of Cricket.

The Willows took on Canterbury Country Secondary Schools XI. Willows winning the toss and bowling first.

Harrison Cox opened the bowling, his first time bowling in over a year and boy it showed, with 15 wides. When he finally decided to come off the long run, he figured out he could bowl again. It was a beautiful site.

He had his great mate Ferg Fairbairn opening up from the other end. Ferg the pick of the bowlers with 1-5 off 5. Harrison weirdly finishing with 3-39 off 6. Other bowlers such as Mason McLaughlin finishing with 3-37 off 10.

At 50-8 the decision was made for Country Secondary Schools to bat through to 35 overs no matter the wickets lost. They managed to get to 138 with the pick of the batsmen being Xavier Nortman, exceptional technique and unselfishly batted aggressively to try and swing the game back in their favour.

Extras had the second top score of 31.

To make a game of it The Willows put 175 on the board. Country Schools had some very good bowlers who tested the batting line up.

The pick of our batsmen was Carl Petersen, who was lethal through the covers and scored a run a ball 52. Some other really good batting performances Ollie Allen opening the batting set the tone with 27.

Jonty Dalzell batted well after an early off field scare, losing the lunch money, he went into complete panic. Thankfully he found the money in his trouser pocket, the relief was evident as he batted well. In his words “we should have chased 200, I was robbed of a 50”.

Great day, with great people.

16/03/2026

The Canterbury Country Cricket Association annual golf day fundraiser is locked in and it’s always a cracker of a day.

Get a team together & have a great day out, all while supporting Canterbury Country Cricket.

Drink, Food, Prizes + more!

15/03/2026

MATCH REPORT: Waitaki Boys’ High School v The Willows - Sunday 15th March ‘26

A glorious day at Loburn produced a tight and entertaining contest between the Willows and Waitaki Boys’ High School.

The Willows won the toss and elected to bat first on an excellent deck. The top order made the most of the conditions, with all getting starts. CBHS 2nd XI batsman James Irwin led the way with an impressive 81, well supported by Thys Petrie (29), Toby Munt (33) and Ollie Moore (25).

However, the momentum stalled late in the innings as the Willows collapsed from 4–191 to 198 all out. Waitaki leg-spinner Archie Haywood was outstanding, claiming 6–33 to restrict the hosts.

In reply, the Willows started strongly with the ball, reducing Waitaki to 3–33 at the 17-over drinks break. Off-spinner Jimmy Hill (CBHS 2nd XI) was excellent, finishing with 3–24 from his 10 overs. Despite genuine pace from Ollie Moore and accuracy from Tim Grocott, the Willows couldn’t quite close the game out.

Waitaki regrouped and built partnerships, with Alex Wilson producing a superbly paced 89, finishing the match in style by hitting the winning runs with a six. He was well supported by Harry Mavor (14), Archie Rooney (19) and Cash Paterson (30) as Waitaki reached the target 7 down with two overs to spare.

A day of “what might have been” for the Willows, but credit to Waitaki who were outstanding visitors and took home the Rollie Eveleigh Trophy.

Floreat Waitaki.

Nic Hill

13/03/2026

MATCH REPORT: Waitaki Boys High School v The Willows - Sunday 8th March ‘26

A glorious day at Loburn saw a positive and close encounter between the Willows and Waitaki Boys’ High School.

The Willows won the toss and batted first on an excellent deck. The top order batted well with all making starts, and CBHS 2nd XI batsmen James Irwin top scored with 81. He was well supported with scores of 29 (Thys Petrie), 33 (Toby Munt) and 25 (Ollie Moore). The top order, however, was not supported by those who followed, with the Willows collapsing from 4 – 191 to 198 all out! Leg Spinner Archie Haywood took 6 – 33 to be the chief contributor in restricting the Willows.

In the field, the Willows started strongly restricting Waitaki to 3 – 33 at the 17-over drinks break. Off spinner Jimmy Hill, also from the CBHS 2nd XI taking 3 – 24 off his 10. Despite some real pace from Ollie Moore and accuracy from Tim Grocott, the Willows were unable to finish the job, and Waitaki recovered and started scoring boundaries to achieve the winning total 7 down with 2 overs to spare. Alex Wilson scored a superbly paced 89 and hit the winning runs with a 6, and he was supported by useful knocks from skipper Harry Mavor (14), Archie Rooney (19) and Cash Paterson (30).

A day of what might have been for the Willows. Waitaki were great visitors and took away the Rollie Eveleigh Trophy.

Floreat Waitaki

Nic Hill - Willows Match Manager

13/03/2026

TEAM NAMING!

Skipper James Richards has named a strong side for this Sunday’s clash against Canterbury Country Cricket Association with the lads looking forward to another quality contest.

The Willows continues to be a place where players from across the region come together to play the game in the right spirit. This Sunday’s match promises to be another good one. With a balanced side featuring plenty of experience alongside some exciting talent. Games against Canterbury Country Schools are always fiercely contested and should be a cracker

If you’re around, come down, pull up a chair or a rug, and enjoy a classic Sunday of cricket.

First Ball: 10:30am

04/03/2026

The Willows Cricket Club Match Report
The Willows v SBC

It started out as a hot and sunny day at The Willows, although the threat of rain was never far away. It was great to welcome SBC back to The Willows as they looked to take the trophy off the holders.

With midweek rain putting a bit of life into the wicket and reports suggesting SBC had a strong squad, The Willows made a clear plan at the toss — bowl first if we won. Skipper Paul Miller called correctly and The Willows duly sent SBC in.

The new-ball attack of brothers Jack and Max Haines got The Willows off to the perfect start, bowling with great control and intent. SBC quickly found themselves in trouble at 3 for 21, with Jim Foley chopping on and Fergus Hanarahan falling to a sharp caught-and-bowled chance by Max Haines.

Henry Donaldson then played an important hand with a steady 19, helping SBC rebuild before the key partnership of the innings took shape.

From there, Jack Hislop (111) and Max Boyle (81) combined superbly, putting together an outstanding 174-run partnership. Boyle played a patient and composed innings, rotating the strike well and scoring in his areas, while Hislop produced an excellent century featuring a mixture of controlled aggression and classy stroke play. A lofted inside-out cover drive was arguably the shot of the day. Scoring a century at The Willows is always special, and Hislop’s innings was a memorable one. Both batsmen showed great composure after SBC’s early wickets to build a match-defining stand.

The Willows bowling effort was led by Max Haines, who finished with excellent figures of 3 for 14.

It was also a pleasure to have Olly Birkett and Toby Pilkington from Matfen CC (UK) involved for the day. Both contributed well with the ball and were great additions to the side — safe travels home, lads.

Lachie McLeod, the 15-year-old Rangiora High School student, was named Player of the Day. His figures of 1 for 54 off 8 overs didn’t fully reflect the quality of his performance, particularly his excellent ex*****on at the death where he stuck to his plans impressively. For a player of his age it was a very mature display and one that stood out to the entire side.

SBC finished on 268 for 6 from 50 overs, setting what looked a challenging but achievable target for a youthful and talented Willows batting lineup.

Unfortunately, the weather had the final say. After just one over of The Willows reply, the rain arrived and continued steadily, bringing the match to an early conclusion — a result that seemed to sum up much of this summer.

We now look forward to the rematch next season.

As always, it remains a privilege to captain The Willows. Thanks to all the players who took the field and to the many Willowers who continue to make the club such a special place.

Paul Miller
Match Captain – The Willows Cricket Club

03/03/2026

The Willows V Nelson College Sunday 15th February

The Nelson College Fixture is always a much-anticipated match on The Willows Calendar, not least as it is the former School of The Willows Founder Mike Dormer.

The Willows won the toss and elected to bat, on a typically well-paced, and superb Willows wicket. The Willows were fortunate to have Matt Rowe a contracted Canterbury player in their side for the day, and he contributed a well compiled 82, and he was well supported by Carter Woodgate who impressed with a well struck 62. The Willows were bowled out for 225, with The Nelson College side impressing in the field, and with good accurate bowling. Ryder Gestro led the bowling effort with 4-40, and he was ably supported by Hogan Ward and Charlie Booker who each picked up 2 wickets.

The Nelson College batting effort was impressive led by Kurt Ward, who in his last innings at The Willows for Nelson College, scored an impressive 125 not out. It was truly a great innings by a very promising young cricketer, and his innings assured Nelson College of their victory. Kurt Ward was ably supported by the Nelson College Captain Oran Sim with 41, and in the end, Nelson College cruised to a well-earned win in 34 overs.

I want to acknowledge the contribution that The Ward Family have made to Nelson College Cricket, not only Kurt & Hogan as players but their parents Merv & Wendy who have filled various roles for the school 1st XI, Merv as manager and Wendy as scorer at The Willows. Such was the determination of the boys to play at The Willows, after playing a match against St Andrews College on the Friday, they traveled to Dunedin on the Saturday to set the boys up for University at Otago, and then returned to play the Willows fixture on the Sunday, it’s commitment like this that sets them apart. During the post-match speeches, Michael Hayes from Nelson College read an excerpt from the Nelson College School magazine the Nelsonian, which acknowledged the contribution and abilities as a cricketer of one Michael Dormer, it was fitting end to a true Willows Day, and one I’m sure Mike would have enjoyed, and been proud of.

Paul Rutledge Match Manager

The Willows XI 225 All Out

M Rowe 82, C Woodgate 68 R Gestro 3-40

Nelson College 227for 4

K Ward 125 * O Sim 41 A Guillemont 3-50

Nelson College won by 6 Wickets

02/03/2026

MATCH REPORT: Waimea College Edge Craighead Diocesan in Thriller at The Willows

Congratulations to Waimea College on a hard-fought win over a strong Craighead Diocesan XI at The Willows in an entertaining and closely contested match.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Waimea posted a competitive 130/8 from 30 overs. Opener Summa Pratt anchored the innings superbly with a composed 48, well supported by Biddy Thomas who contributed an important 26. Craighead’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout, led by an outstanding spell from Leah Geary (3/9). She was well supported by Camryn Linton and Ruby Brown, who each claimed two wickets.

In reply, Craighead made a strong start to the chase, led by a quality innings from Sophie Kelly, who top-scored with a well-made 52. Kelly provided the backbone of the innings, but her dismissal as the sixth wicket proved pivotal. Despite a determined effort from the lower order, Craighead fell just short, with Waimea holding their nerve to secure a 13-run victory.

Waimea’s bowling effort was shared across the group, with Petra Cederman, Brooke Robinson and Cailin Whiting all taking two wickets apiece.

Players of the Day
Waimea College: Summa Pratt
Craighead Diocesan: Sophie Kelly

01/03/2026

After a successful 2025 campaign, The Willows assembled a formidable squad as we travelled to the wonderful surroundings of Napier, where the 2026 tournament was played under the shadow of the popular Art Deco festival.

Clifton County hosted the tournament to be played at Nelson Park and the weather and pitches were of exceptional quality. The format was to be The Hundred in a straight knockout format, which suited our aging bowling roster. Despite a rather aggressive pre-tournament team building session the team arrived on Friday morning in good spirits.

Game One was against a composite team made up of spare members of other teams due to a late withdrawal from a travelling Australian side. The 'Fingletoads' as they were to be known put our bowlers under pressure and posted a competitive 147 off of their 100 balls. The chase was controlled even after a couple of early wickets. Jimad Khan 72* and Dan Vann 53 picked up from the last tournament and chased the total down with 20 balls spare.

Game Two saw us play the quarter final vs the hosts Clifton. They had a strong first up win and ther best batter had a strong outing against us as a Fingletoad. The Willows batted first and dominated from the outset posting a huge 171. Big scores from Jimad Khan, Robert Dunne and Adam Hastilow. The bowling started strong with the ball up front with Hiini and Mugford tying them down and the momentum never came for Clifton falling 40 short. The spitfires at the Art Deco festival performed overhead but no match for the aerobatic display of our big hitters.

The next day saw the Semi-Final vs the heavily fancied Royal Torpedo CC (formerly North Shore). Carrying a squad of 35 they were well rested and had the benefit of the only 100 scored in the tournament. The Willow bowled first and immediately removed their talisman James Marshall ct. M.Davidson bowled B.Hiini in a scorecard resembling a late 2000s Cricinfo update. The Torpedos never recovered and were squeezed by the bowers only getting to 107. The Willows chased it down in 70 balls to hit the final.

The final saw a fired up Wellington Wanderers team who had dismantled all before them in the tournament, including a much fancied Todd Astle led Betterman squad. The Wanderers batted first scoring 137. They threatened to pull away numerous times but wily bowling from Adam Hastilow 4/11, Paul Miller and Michael Davidson ensured a chase which was gettable. The Wanderers started well having the Willows two down early but again a calm captain's knock from Robert Dunne and some more brutal hitting from Jimad Khan and Adam Hastilow saw The Willows home with 19 balls to spare.

The team want to extend a big thanks to Shea Parnell and Phil Chandler from Clifton County Cricket Club for organising a great event and to the touring squad for making the event enjoyable. As always we are on the lookout for able and keen bodies over the age of 35 for next year's tournament, please feel free to reach out to me for interest.

Chris Mugford.