Verma returns to torment Boys' High

Even though they have all but secured a spot in the final, Hamilton Boys' High School's cricket side will face a stern test in the last round of Hamilton club cricket's Eddy Marr Bowl two-day competition today, when they are greeted by former team-mate, turned opponent, Anurag Verma.

The 19-year-old quick bowler will lead Furnace Old Boys' attack and is a familiar face for Lonestar Hamilton Boys' High, having played for them during his years at the school and also last season.

But today he will be focused on making life tough for his former colleagues as Old Boys go in search of crucial competition points to try and force their way into the decider.

"Last year I was obviously playing for them.

"It's just cricket. You play alongside some guys and you'll be playing against them some day. It should be good fun," Verma said.

Last weekend Verma was in devastating form as he and fellow opening bowler Cameron Weight both took five-wicket bags to steer them towards victory against Star Varsity.

The pair were the only bowlers used, with Verma taking 5-14 from 12.1 overs.

"It's coming out pretty good at the moment," he said.

"Cam bowled really well and actually did most of the work because he got the top order out. I just picked a few wickets up at the end and it was just a good performance by both of us."

"I think I'm hitting the (wicketkeeper's) gloves pretty hard and (the key was) just persistence at the start of the season and keeping on trying to get that form back, and now it's back it feels good."

Verma has been on the fringe of Northern Knights selection this season, but is still awaiting his first cap.

Even though he hasn't managed to crack the side, it's not a worry for him and his confidence is still high from spending time training with Northern Districts.

As far as his week-to-week preparation is concerned, he's had to be fairly self motivated because he spends most of his time in Auckland, in his second year of Mechatronics Engineering study at university.

He has a couple of good mates who he trains with and he does his own fitness and gym work, before travelling down to Hamilton Friday evenings.

He's also been paying particular attention to his batting lately, as he's a crucial part of Old Boys' middle order, which will again need to be in fine form today.

"It will be a big challenge for us because there's a lot of good players in that side and we're going to have to be on the top of our game with both bat and ball," Verma said.

He pinpointed Mitchell Santner and Anton Devcich as the two key batsmen to dismiss early and he was also aware of HBHS' copious amount of spinners.

As far as a spot in the final goes, Verma said his team wouldn't be thinking that far ahead. "I don't think we'll be worried about that, we'll be just trying to play the best that we can and whatever happens at the end of the day will happen."

In today's other matches, Star Varsity and Melville face each other in a do-or-die clash and Easy Tiger Fraser-Tech take on Suburbs, who are out of the finals race.

EDDY MARR BOWL

Round 7, Day 1, 10.30am:

HBHS vs Old Boys, Fraser-Tech vs Suburbs, Star Varsity vs Melville.

Points: HBHS 75.64; Fraser-Tech 59.52; Old Boys 59.10; Melville 57.94; Star Varsity 55.49; Suburbs 47.75.

- © Fairfax NZ News