Club cricket finalists found
Marist’s bowlers put in a gritty display to dump defending champions United out in the one-day Manawatu¯ club semifinals and book a place in the decider.
Marist beat United by 42 runs in a low-scoring affair at Manawaroa Park, Palmerston North, on Saturday to qualify for this weekend’s final. They will play Freyberg, who beat Palmerston North Boys’ High School in the other semifinal by 79 runs.
United restricted Marist to 185-8 batting first, but then the Marist bowlers did well defending the total and dismissed United for 143 in 42.2 overs.
The wicket was good considering ground staff had little time to work on it during the week due to rain.
United were 104-3 with Ma’ara Ave at the crease, but lost their last seven wickets for 40 runs. Ave made 51, but the rest of the batting order fell over. Opener Tom O’connor scored 26.
The whole bowling attack did well, but seamers Matt Wells and Hugh Symes, as well as spinner Nic Carter, were all tidy, taking two wickets each. Wells took 2-6 from 7.3 overs.
Earlier Floyd na Nagara set the foundation for Marist’s score with 57 after opener Craig Lawrence had made 35.
Arana Noema-barnett hit 25 from 24 balls.
United bowlers Jack Harris and Ben O’connor took two wickets apiece.
Freyberg also qualified with a 79-run win over Palmerston North Boys’ High School.
Freyberg posted a competitive total of 249, being bowled out in the final over, then rolled the schoolboys for 170 in 44 overs.
Opener Thomas Walshe got Freyberg off to a good start with 57, before Thomas Kuggeleijn and Bryn Wilson had a good middleorder partnership.
Kuggeleijn top scored with 69 and Wilson made 31, getting them to 207 before they were both dismissed.
Boys’ High then fought back to bowl Freyberg out, as Bayley Latter (3-42) and Thomas Kirk (2-42) cleaned up the tail.
Regan Fleming (3-41) and Jett Donald-charnley (2-32) did the early damage.
In reply Boys’ High didn’t have anyone stay in long enough.
Curtis Heaphy (37), Jonty Fleck (32) and Scott Davidson (44) in the middle order were the best contributors, but it wasn’t enough.
Freyberg’s Harry Wenham took two early wickets and then fellow spinner Finn Martin picked up 4-41 to stop Boys’ High threatening.