New Zealand club cricketer scores 307 from 115 balls, but comes under heavy criticism

Craig Findlay

Craig Findlay, a Hawke’s Bay Club cricketer in New Zealand, hit 307 from just 115 balls in a senior grade match over the weekend.

Findlay – the CEO of Hawke’s Bay Club – hit 27 sixes in his knock against St John’s College, notching up an incredible strike rate of 266.66.

Speaking on his monstrous knock, the 42-year-old said: “It was coming off alright. I was dropped early though by some poor young fellow when I was on about 40.

“My favourite six was probably one that sailed over the sightscreen.”

It hasn’t been all smooth-sailing for Findlay since the knock though, as he has been criticised heavily for not playing in the spirit of the game as the opposition were solely made up of school kids.

Andrew Frame, a local cricketer, who was playing on a near-by ground labelled the entire episode a farce. He tweeted the following, having witnessed the knock from close quarters:

Following the game on Saturday, the captain of the St John’s team James McNatty said that he constantly requested Findlay to declare the innings as matters were getting out of hand, but the Hawke’s Bay Cricket CEO did not oblige.

McNatty even went to the extent of pleading another member of the opposing team Mike Pawson, but again it did not bear fruit.

“Mike said there were only a few more overs to go and to keep our chins up,” a dejected McNatty said, speaking on his appeals to their rivals.

The parents of the boys were particularly outraged by the knock, having seen their sons completely demoralised after receiving a hammering at the hands of Findlay and co.

McNatty’s mother Michele accused Findlay and his teammates of using the match to set an example to the St John’s College boys that they were not competitive enough for the league and that school kids should go to the lower division.

“I’m just so disappointed in the way they used our boys to prove a point,” said Michele.

She also added that that she was proud of her son’s team, who came out from the game without losing any respect.

“Our boys came off the park with their heads up.

“Craig shouldn’t have taken it out on our boys if he couldn’t take it out on adult [Swindells].”

St John’s have won just one game in seven rounds in the league so far. That win came against the Celtics.

Findlay responded to the public outrage by stating that he meant no disrespect to the opponents: “I now have other boys looking forward to having a crack at me so it’s a great opportunity for them to get a former first-class cricketer out.”

Board chairman and former New Zealand cricketer Derek Stirling said that he has already taken up the matter with Findlay, after having to face the wrath of the public over the weekend.

@SamuelPHurley @andrewaustinHBT I was playing on next pitch, almost got hit by 2x 6s. Felt for the St Johns' boys. Unfair contest, really.

— Andrew Frame (@NapierinFrame) January 13, 2014