Marist United supreme in T20

Cricket

New Plymouth Marist United have taken home the Revital Fertilisers Premier T20 title with a dominant display over Ha¯ wera United in the final.

The game ended after a torrential downpour nine overs into Ha¯wera’s innings. The result, however, was beyond doubt with Ha¯ wera in all sorts of trouble at 22 for six.

NPMU won the toss and elected to bat first with openers Ryan Fleming and Dean Robinson getting them off to a good start. When Fleming was first to go for 23 NPMU were on 56 after nine overs.

Next ball after Fleming’s dismissal Robinson was given a life by Ngoni Mupamba behind the stumps. Robinson would soon make them pay scoring 57 off

44 balls.

Ha¯ wera did well to restrict NPMU to

114 for four with 21 balls to go.

Ha¯ wera’s standards slipped and some sloppy fielding and hard hitting saw NPMU post 163 for four – Jarred Cunningham (28) and Jacob Richards (34) doing the damage late.

All the momentum was with NPMU and they came out after the break and were relentless in the field.

Adam Keene drove the fourth ball of the innings in the air straight to mid off, and Mupamba was run out an over later from a sensational bit of fielding by Andy Kelly.

And when skipper Nick Walker was bowled Ha¯ wera found themselves eight for three. With thunder in the background and dark cloud rolling in over the trees, NPMU were in a rush to get five overs bowled.

In the process Daniel Bernet got through Rob Northcott’s defences and Josh Barrett picked up the wicket of Liam Fowler.

Ha¯wera were nine for five and any chances of winning were dashed. With light drizzle now falling Hayden Birss clean bowled Liam Heibner as the heavens opened with Hawera 22 for six .

Players came from the field followed by handshakes as NPMU won the title on Duckworth-Lewis calculation.

Meanwhile, in the Revital Fertilisers two-day competition the business end of the competition is coming and teams are looking ahead at what they have to do to secure a semifinal spot.

NPMU, currently sitting outside the top four, failed to pick up any batting points as they were dismissed for 115 by Inglewood, with Luke Dravitzki continuing his good form with six for 53.

Inglewood, sitting second on the ladder, also struggled for runs as they limped through to 73 for six at stumps.

Woodleigh, in desperate need of points, did themselves a big favour as they posted

244 with Jesse Vertongen scoring 90. Shaun Sullivan then picked up four for five as Ha¯ wera ended the day at 42 for six.

Stratford got the better of New Plymouth Old Boys as both teams failed to gain batting points, Stratford made 141 before dismissing NPOB for 121.

NPBHS piled on more misery for FDMC as the college were rolled for 64. In reply NPBHS strolled through to 196 for two with Thomas Graham and Jordan Gard putting together a 96 run unbeaten stand.

Live Leaderboard after day one: NPOB

62, Inglewood 56, Hawera 56, NPBHS 48, NPMU 42, Stratford 42, Woodleigh 41 FDMC 16