Celtic Gold continue to lead by example
Celtic Gold maintained their unbeaten run at the top of the Marlborough second grade cricket competition with a comfortable 50-run win over Wairau on Saturday at College Park.
Celtic Gold scored 218-6 from their 40 overs, then tipped Wairau over for 168 from 35.2 overs. Jakeb Brown continued his good form for Celtic with a mixture of patience and aggression, top scoring with 56. Rob Bruce was severe on anything loose, scoring 54, while Graham Payne also contributed a patient 33. Bowling for Wairau, Ricky Baker was the most successful bowler with 2-67 off eight overs.
In reply, Jason Kennedy top scored with 45 for Wairau while Cameron Horton, 25, led a spirited fightback before accurate bowling curtailed their progress. Mardy Atkinson with 2-30, Joe Smith 2-15 and Jassi Brar with 3-34 were the main wicket takers.
At Oliver Park, PinkFit Picton rebounded from a loss last week to beat Celtic Green by 115 runs. Picton made a slow start, being restricted to 11-2 from just five overs before a patient and professional 74 from Mike Stewart, with handy support roles from Keita Maxwell, who scored 12 in a partnership of 70, and Ashish Yadav, who contributed 42 in a partnership of 73, saw Picton through to a competitive 185 all out after 38.4 overs. Bowling for Celtic Green, Garry Howard picked up 5-36 and Liam Young 4-21.
In reply, Celtic Green never really got going, the innings ended at 70 all out, Oli Lawson managing the only innings of note with 34. Bowling for Picton, Iain Tyler picked up 4-9 from his seven overs, Ashish Yadav 2-8 and John
Diamanti 2-12.
Also at Oliver Park, United Country took on Wairau Valley and won by nine wickets.
Valley were well poised on 92-1 at the 20 over mark as Patrick Wilkins topscored with 42. However the game changed in the second 20, David Foes, with 5-16 off eight overs tying up one end to restrict Valley to 161-7 off their 40 overs. Opener Liam Geddes, with 34, and Greg Winstanley, 31, were the other notable scores.
Country began in positive fashion with Richard Barton, who made 45, and Ed Murchison racing out to a 100-run partnership in the 13th over before Barton fell. Murchison carried on, his unbeaten 90 guiding UCVC home in the 20th over as Valley’s missing their lengths will too much regularity.