Hinuera players into the final

The Hinuera cricket team was away to Te Awamutu for Saturday’s one-day, 50-over competition, and this was a crucial game to keep their final hopes alive.

Winning the toss, Hinuera put Te Awamutu into bat on a heavy, damp grass wicket and the prospect of a complete game not looking likely.

The opening bowlers struggled for line and length in the first few overs but then tightened up.

The batters were certainly looking to be aggressive and were finding the boundary with some ease.

After five of his overs, Alan Tappin going for a diving caught and bowled, tore the webbing on his hand and ended up at the medical centre getting stitches.

Te Awamutu scored 166 for 4 wickets in the first 30 overs and then only managed 47 runs in the last 17 overs to finish on 213 after 47 overs.

With the loss of Tappin, Hinuera found themselves with 10 players, down a bowler, and needing to reorganise the bowling lineup.

The changes turned the tide of the game. Anthony Marsh was given the ball and finished with 4 – 19 runs off 6 overs. Mitch Green 3 – 40 off 10 and Andrew Tiddy 2 – 54 off 7 overs. John Dickson and Ben Blackett bowling in tandem really restricted runs in the middle overs.

Ryan Wilson opened the batting with Scott Mitchell and Wilson blasted 35 runs off 17 balls with 2 sixes while Mitchell was the support role. After 10 overs, the covers went on and while there was an attempt to restart, the rain returned and the game was abandoned. Scott finishing 13 not out. Hinuera were 58 / 2 at that stage.

With Cambridge also rained off, Hinuera retains their second place on the table and play St Pauls away, on grass in the final next week.