Ave declares season open by scoring a fine century
United opener Ma’ara Ave started the club season in style with a century to set up a win over Freyberg.
Ave scored 100 from 120 balls as United won by 61 runs at Ongley Park on Saturday, as the season got under way on artificial wickets.
Ave, who has been training with Central Districts, opened the batting and survived being dropped to provide the backbone of United’s 217 all out in 49.5 overs. He was later out lbw.
The next best contribution with the bat was 30 from Robbie James, as Freyberg medium pacer Thomas Kuggeleijn bowled well to take 4-48.
Seamer Andy Grubb took 3-42 from 10 overs and spinner Harry Wenham grabbed 3-27 from nine overs.
United’s bowlers were accurate and reduced Freyberg to 57-4 early in their chase.
No 3 Caleb Hansen and No 4 Bevan Small tried to hold things together with a partnership of 40 runs, but no-one else dug in and once those two were dismissed, United went through them.
Freyberg were all out for 156 in the 45th over.
Hansen was out for 21 and Small scored 20, while Ben Mitchell and Grubb both made 24, adding a last-wicket partnership of 22.
Nathan Hill’s slow bowling was hard to get away and he took 2-37 from 10 overs and leggie Braden Rowe was miserly with 0-20 from his 10 overs on the trot.
Seamers Cam Harris, Jack Harris and Manpreet Singh took two wickets apiece.
Old Boys started their season with a big win, beating Palmerston by nine wickets.
Palmerston batted first and made a solid score of 204-9, but Old Boys got there in a canter thanks to unbeaten half centuries from Bryce Grant and Robbie Yule. They reached the target only one wicket down in 31 overs.
Grant and Robbie Laird opened the batting and had an opening stand of 42 before Laird was run out.
Then Grant and Yule did the job, as Grant finished just short of a century with 97 not out and Yule hit 69 not out.
Palmerston paceman Carlos Jensen bowled well, but Yule and Grant were clinical putting away the bad balls.
Earlier in Palmerston’s innings Rob Sheary scored 72 to give them a competitive total and the next best was 27 from Gurpeet Singh.
Old Boys pace bowler Ray Toole was the pick of their bowlers, taking 3-34, and out-swinger Campbell Findlay snared 3-37.
The game between Marist and
Palmerston North Boys’ High School was postponed because the schoolboys are on their tour of Western Australia and South Africa.
Results: United 217 (Ma’ara Ave 100, Robbie Hames 30; Thomas Kuggeleijn 4-48, Andy Grubb 3-42, Harry Wenham 3-27) beat Freyberg 156 (Scott Mitchell 24, Andy Grubb 23, Caleb Hansen 21, Bevan Small 20; Nathan Hill 2-37, Cam Harris 2-14, Jack Harris 2-36, Manpreet Singh 2-36) by 61 runs.
Palmerston 204-9 (Rob Sheary 72, Gurpeet Singh 27; Ray Toole 3-34, Campbell Findlay 3-17) lost to Old Boys 205-1 (Bryce Grant 97*, Robbie Yule 69*) by nine wickets.
Next week: United v Old Boys, Freyberg v Marist. Palmerston v PNBHS postponed.