FINAL FLOURISH
Marist to take on Old Boys as club cricket heats up
Marist booked themselves a place in the Manawatu¯ club cricket oneday final with a dominant 121-run win over Freyberg on Sunday.
They will take on top-of-thetable Old Boys in the final at Fitzherbert Park on Saturday.
Marist relied on a team effort to get themselves over Freyberg.
Batting first, they managed 254/9 from their 50 overs.
Dave Meiring and Hugh Symes provided the backbone of the innings, hammering 59 and 57, respectively.
Mitch Renwick (35), Jamie Connell (35) and Arana Noemabarnett (23) also made solid contributions.
Brad Fulton was the chief destroyer for Freyberg, picking up 5-58 and also running out Floyd na Nagara.
Freyberg’s response started well, with veteran Luke Murray (31) and Charles Parker (32) getting them through to 64-0 after 15 overs.
But then came the collapse. By the 23rd over they were 68-4.
Harry Wenham did his best to steady the ship, but no-one was sticking around alongside him.
Wenham was eventually out for 48, just one of three players to exceed six runs for Freyberg.
They were skittled for a sub-par 133 in the 37th over.
Noema-barnett was the pick of the bowlers, with an incredibly economic 2-3 off six overs.
Marist’s first match over the weekend, against Palmerston on Saturday, was similarly one-sided.
Marist won by six wickets, as they chased down Palmerston’s total inside 22 overs.
Connor Morriss picked up 3-32 while Palmerston worked their way to 150-9 after 50 overs.
Opener Gaurav Aheer topscored with 36.
Renwick led the Marist response as he hammered 81 to steer the green caps home.
A Hayden Hill century helped United to a six-wicket win over Palmerston North Boys’ High School.
Hill hit 101 from 126 balls as part of a 160-run partnership with Ben Roberts (66).
That was the key to United’s run-chase as they picked up 220 runs to lock up the win in the 45th over.
Boys’ High were all out for 216 on the final ball of their innings.
Caleb Hansen (49) and Thomas Walshe (33) set the tone early, before Ruben Love added 44 as they set a solid total.
Manpreet Singh was the best of the United bowlers, with 3-40.
Freyberg moved through to the semifinal with their 54-run win over Old Boys.
They batted first, setting 216 from 48 overs.
Wenham (54) and Parker (42) got them off to a good start before Henry Collier started to rip through the batting order.
The Old Boys spinner grabbed 6-31 in eight overs, as he cleaned up Freyberg’s tail.
Old Boys’ chase never found the pace they needed.
They managed 162-6 off their 50 overs, with Tim Richards’ 45 not out the best contribution.
Thomas Kuggeleijn was the pick of the bowlers for Freyberg with 4-21.
AT A GLANCE
Round 9
Palmerston 150-9 (Gaurav Aheer 36, Russell Swindells 32; Connor Morriss 3-32) lost to
Marist 152-4 (Mitch Renwick 81, Dave Meiring 21*; Swindells 1-3) by six wickets.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School 216-10 (Caleb Hansen 49, Ruben Love 44, Thomas Walshe 33; Manpreet Singh 3-40) lost to
United 220-4 (Hayden Hill 101, Ben Roberts; Bryn Wilson 2-48) by six wickets.
Freyberg 216 (Harry Wenham 54, Charles Parker 42, Luke Murray 32, Kerry Meerkerk 32; Henry Collier 6-31) beat Old Boys 162-6
(Tim Richards 45*, Trent Mcgrath 32, Brynn Cleaver 30; Thomas Kuggeleijn 4-21) by 54 runs.
Semifinal
Marist 254-9 (Dave Meiring 59, Hugh Symes 57, Mitch Renwick 35, Jamie Connell 35; Brad Fulton 5-58) beat Freyberg 133 (Harry Wenham 48, Charles Parker 32, Luke Murray 31; Arana Noemabarnett 2-3, Matt Wells 2-28, Navin Patel 2-31) by 121 runs.
Final
Saturday – Old Boys v Marist at Fitzherbert Park 2.
Two-dayers start January 13.