New leaders on premier ladder

Inglewood have gone top of the Revital Fertilisers Premier Two Day cricket competition after a demolition job of Francis Douglas Memorial College.

Declaring overnight at 312 for 5 with a lead of 207 the Inglewood bowlers wasted no time in dismissing the FDMC side for a paltry 29; the game all over before lunch with not one FDMC batsman making double figures in a terrible effort.

Woodleigh made New Plymouth Old Boys work harder on day two but eventually succumbed and were beaten outright by eight wickets.

Facing a first innings deficit of 175 the Woodleigh batsman finally found some form after weeks of low scores.

Jesse Vertongen (66) and Phil Barraclough (59) both made half centuries as Woodleigh posted 246 all out. Ross Byrans was the pick of the bowlers with four for 46.

This left NPOB 72 for victory and opener Ben Mitchell got stuck into the Woodleigh attack, guiding his team to victory with 44 not out off 42 balls.

The win lifts NPOB to second on the standings.

Going into the round Ha¯ wera United saw themselves on top of the table but were dealt a reality check by New Plymouth Marist United.

Being dismissed 144 runs behind on first innings last week the Ha¯wera top order once again faltered as they found themselves 17 for five.

Adam Keene (38) and Liam Heibner (44), the latter batting at number 10, put some respectability back into the score as they were able to go past NPMU’s 1st innings score, albeit by 12 runs.

Cricket

Taranaki seamer Josh Barrett picked up 6 for 57 as the main destroyer of the HUCC innings. With 13 runs required the NPMU openers of Sean Mosquera and Dean Robinson successfully scored the winning runs.

In the final game of the round New Plymouth Boys’ High School turned round a first innings deficit to win outright, the second time they have achieved the feat this season.

At 47 runs behind on first innings NPBHS found themselves five down with a lead of just eight runs. Jack Parker (46) would combine with Reece Trumper (70) for an 84 run partnership and then Trumper and player coach Mike Rubick would combine for 78 runs to give NPBHS a lead of 173 when they were bowled out for 220.

Grant Commerford picking up four for

62 to give him match figures of 10 for 100. Stratford set off in search of victory and were cruising at 90 for two with Liam Muggeridge and Finbar Moriarty looking comfortable.

These two had put on 50 together before Oli Burbidge would have Muggeridge caught for 22 and Rubick would pick up Moriarty for 36. From there, the Stratford batsman struggled and were eventually dismissed for 128, losing their last eight wickets for 38 runs. Liam Carr on debut for the first XI picked up four for 19 with Burbidge also picking up four wickets.

Leaderboard: Inglewood 48, NPOB 45, HUCC 36, NPMU 33, NPBHS 33, Stratford

30, Woodleigh 20, FDMC 14.

This week’s matches: Stratford v Woodleigh, Ha¯wera v FDMC, NPBHS v NPMU. Inglewood v NPOB will be played February 16/17 as NPOB are contesting the CD Club Champs in Palmerston North. NPOB will face Napier Tech on Saturday in the semifinal.