Poole cracks century to set T20 competition alight
A remarkable unbeaten 130 runs from Celtic batsman Josh Poole highlighted the opening round of the Marlborough Twenty20 cricket competition.
Poole’s fireworks ensured Biddy Kate’s Celtic made the best possible start to the 10-round competition, rolling over the Cornerstone Wairau Cavaliers by 74 runs at Horton Park.
In Friday evening’s other game, played at Oliver Park, Grove Tavern Wairau defended a small total superbly to get up by just seven runs over Sileni Estates Renwick.
Undoubtedly though, the performance of the night came from Poole. He showed no mercy to the Cavaliers bowling attack, slamming five sixes and 17 fours as he dispatched the white ball to all parts of the ground. After the early loss of John Porter and Landon Neal, Poole found a very capable ally in skipper Jerrym Lamb and the pair were not able to be separated as they blasted their side to an imposing 208-2. Lamb finished with 55 not out, including one six and eight fours. Underlining the acceleration in the Celtic innings was the fact that 73 runs came from the first 10 overs, 135 from the last 10.
Best of an under-pressure Cavaliers’ bowling attack was Brent Hefford who picked up the only two wickets to fall, his figures being 2-48 from four.
In reply, they began well, having 21 on the board after just two overs, but that was still below the asking rate. As the required run rate climbed and the wickets fell the Cavaliers never seriously threatened Celtic’s score, finishing their 20 overs at 134-8. Opener Cleighten Cornelius with a patient 40 was top scorer, followed by Hefford with 27.
Five Celtic batsmen picked up wickets, Gandharv Sharma with 3-22 the best of the attack. Ben Blackman claimed 2-19, while Matt McCormick, Jack Porter and Chris Bolton grabbed a wicket each.
Meanwhile, the night’s other encounter was a much tighter and low-scoring affair.
The Ave brothers, Ma’ara with 24 and Eddie top-scoring with 28, pushed Wairau through to an unimpressive 95 from 18.5 overs. Skipper Harry MacDonald with 14 and Joel Lavender, 19, also contributed on a pitch where both sides made batting look difficult. Hayden Gaudin, with 3-25, was the most successful Renwick bowler, his brother Keiran grabbing 2-18, Mike Anstis 2-27 and Prabodha Arthavidu 2-6 from three overs.
With so few runs in the bank, it was always going to take a committed and disciplined fielding effort to restrict Renwick’s chase and Wairau did just that. They conceded just one extra, a leg bye, as all bowlers maintained good lines and were backed up in the field.
Arthavidu batted with composure and skill for his 28 but when he departed, caught onehanded by Nick Weaver on the mid wicket boundary, the asking rate became too high. Kirk Nicholas hit out for 21 and Piers LandonLane was undefeated on 13 as time and overs ran out, Renwick ending at 88-9.
While Wairau’s medium pacers restricted the Renwick batsmen, spinner Alex Kennedy did the damage, picking up 4-9 from his four overs. Three run outs also helped Wairau’s cause.