Finals spot secured by Levin Old Boys
Weraroa fold in face of accurate second innings attack
Levin Old Boys seized the initiative on day two of their Levin derby cricket match against Weraroa last Saturday to earn an outright win and book their place in the Horowhenua-Kapiti Cricket Association Senior A two-day competition final, starting in a fortnight.
Levin Old Boys eventually beat Weraroa by 107 runs, but it was far from plain sailing having started the second day's play on the back foot at Weraroa Domain.
LOB were sent into bat on a rainshortened afternoon on the first day and were bowled out for 79. In reply, Weraroa made it to 79 for 6 at stumps, so the match was evenly poised tied heading into day two.
Weraroa managed to add a further 22 runs when play resumed to be dismissed for 101.
Levin Old Boys made a brisk start to their second innings. Openers Andrew Simpson and Bailey Te Tomo each scored 51 to quickly knock off the deficit and set about building a big lead.
But Weraroa's bowlers wereled by Sri Lankan player-coach Prabodha Arthavidu and Keegan Maclachlan, who each took five wickets to rein them in and see them all out for 212.
Chasing 181 for outright points, Weraroa made a disastrous start losing two early wickets for as many runs. This soon became 18 for 3 when Arthavidu was caught at the wicket off the accurate medium pace of Sam Anderson.
Spinner Dion Sanson was introduced and quickly made the first of his four breakthroughs to make it 35 for 4.
Returning from a break in play, the White Herons' middle and lower order quickly fell apart and they were all out for 73, this included three batters dismissed clean bowled. Only captain and first drop Blake de Burgh offered any meaningful resistance, with a patient 15 off 62 balls.
For Levin Old Boys, Sanson (4), Anderson (3), Joel Bishop (2) and Daniel Parker (1) were the second innings wicket-takers.
LOB now play Ka¯piti Old Boys in the final at Paraparaumu Domain, scheduled for the weekend of December 17 and 18.
The next two weekends see the return of the one-day club competition.