One-day cricket comp starts

The new Hamilton-Waikato Valley combined cricket competition finally got underway at the weekend following three weeks of cancellations due to poor weather.

Pohlen Park in Matamata was the venue for a milestone game involving a Hamilton premier team – Melville, against Hinuera Club Seniors in the first round of a 50-over competition. It’s believed the game was the first between a Hamilton premier side and Hinuera, played in Matamata.

Batting first, Melville were well contained scoring only 66 for 2, in the first 20 overs.

They took this to 217 for 6 in their 50 overs, with wickets shared between Andrew Tiddy, J Rusk, Allan Tappin and captain Mitchell Green.

Hinuera opened up their batting with a lightning fast reply of 85 in 10 overs, including 65 retired, scored by Ryan Wilson, who had been promoted to opening bat, on account of other commitments on his farming property.

The innings followed on steadily accumulating runs and after 25 overs, Hinuera were 30 runs ahead of the opposition’s run rate. Thereafter Mitchell Green put together a captain’s knock and with Scott Mitchell holding up one end the score moved to 180, before Green was caught on the boundary for 49.

Steady bowling by Melville continued to make scoring difficult, and their experience showed up as Hinuera lost their last four wickets for 26, to complete what was an entertaining opening encounter. Final Score was Melville 217, Hinuera 206. This weekend Hinuera host Hamilton Boys’ High School at Pohlen Park in Matamata.

The new one-day competition has six teams from Waikato Valley, six from Hamilton, and features two pools with an equal split from each association, with five round robin games to decide the finalists.