TA Sports’ first cricket season loss
Cambridge win nail-biter by one wicket in Waikato-wide competition
Competition leaders Te Awamutu Sports suffered their first loss, going down by one wicket to Cambridge in round four of the Hamilton-Waikato Valley Spark premier cricket competition.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first at Albert Park on Saturday, the VE Vets sponsored Te Awamutu Sports Blue side set a good platform, cruising at 109 for two after 23 overs.
However, the hosts were unable to capitalise, finishing on 211 off their allotted 50 overs.
Opener Scott Law batted well for 87 (7x4s) as did Jake Gibson chipping in with 48 to take his total of runs to 350 in two completed innings for an average of 175. He scored 120 first-up against Morrinsville, followed by 182no against Otorohanga.
Cambridge looked to be cruising to the total until Northern Districts A rep Chris Swanson was dismissed by Sri Lankan quick Ramesh Subasinghe for 67.
Wickets then fell thick and fast — Te Awamutu taking the the game to the last over where Cambridge required four runs with two wickets remaining. After Ben Vincent snared a wicket first ball, the game became very tight before Cambridge were able to hit a boundary and win the game with three balls remaining.
Gibson claimed 2-25, Subasinghe 2-30 and Akif Sohail 2-38 off their 10 over spells.
Te Awamutu Sports meet Hamilton Old Boys on the newlylaid grass pitch at Kihikihi Domain on Saturday.
In division two, Bryce McCandlish’s 97 runs and Vinay More’s bag of six wickets could not prevent Te Awamutu Marist from losing by 69 runs loss to Waitete in round one of the Waikato Valley Cricket 40 over competition.
Waitete scored and imposing 293/9 batting first at Te Kuiti College on Saturday, largely thanks to Jamie Maarhuis who scored 156 and Luke Draper scoring 73. This pair combined for a third wicket partnership of 170.
The highlight of an otherwise disappointing Marist bowling effort was More’s outstanding figures of six for 49 from his eight overs.
The medium pacer knocked over the majority of the top order and came back to claim the wickets of two of the lower batting order.
Pat Goodwin picked up two for 43 from his eight overs.
Marist replied with 224 all out from 37 overs.
Top scorer was McCandlish with 97 runs off 63 balls, including eight fours and six sixes. He was denied a richly deserved century by a stunning onehanded diving catch in the gully.
McCandlish said he thought he had hit it well enough to get the four runs necessary to bring up his ton.
Andy Taylor scored 25 and Pat Goodwin 20.
Marist play Pratt Milking Machines Te Awamutu Sports Gold this Saturday at Albert Park. Sports Gold will be hoping to have a full team available for this game after having to default their opening match against Pirongia due to the nonavailability of a handful of players.