Cambridge push well clear
Cambridge have moved within touching distance of a spot in the final of Waikato Valley club cricket’s Champions Trophy competition, with a commanding win over Otorohanga on Saturday pushing them well clear at the top of the ladder.
Their 130-run dispatching of the visitors to Victoria Square saw Cambridge secure a bonus point in the fixture which was reduced to a one-day contest after play was washed out last weekend.
With second-placed Te Awamutu being knocked over by R & A Sangha XI, it means Cambridge now have a healthy 10-point advantage atop the standings, with one one-day match and one twoday match to play. A win over Morrinsville in this weekend’s one-dayer would see Cambridge assured of their place in the decider, on March 25-26.
Their latest effort saw them sent in to bat, and produce a good all-round effort with the willow to post 264-8 from their 50 overs.
The hosts were led by half centuries from Chris Swanson, who hit eight fours in his 62 off 78 balls at No 4, and Dillon Kelliher – who hit 10 fours in his 58 off 93, while Otorohanga were guilty of coughing up 32 extras.
In reply the visitors set off in decent fashion, at near seven an over, before losing two wickets with the score at 40.
Opener Andrew McLean (43 off 42) kept scoring freely, but offspinner Patrick Tomsett struck twice in his second over, then soon later McLean was the fifth man out, with Otorohanga slumping from 83-2 to 107-5.
The visitors added 26 further runs, but then lost their last five wickets for one run in 10 balls.
Tomsett ripped out three wickets in one over to end with 5-32 off eight, before fellow offspinner Saif Khan (3-39 off 9.4) finished off the job, with Otorohanga bundled out for 134 in just 28.4 overs.
Cambridge then would have delighted in seeing Te Awamutu go down. Despite Danyn Stewart’s unbeaten half century, hosts Te Awamutu were rolled for 141 at the Kihikihi Domain by R & A Sangha XI, who then chased down the target for the loss of seven wickets with more than 10 overs to spare, therefore earning a bonus point.
It was in fact bonus points all round, with the other two matches also seeing comfortable wins for the chasing sides, as Morrinsville and Hinuera kept themselves well in touch with Te Awamutu.
Morrinsville crushed St Paul’s Collegiate School by seven wickets at the Morrinsville Recreation Ground, having restricted the visitors to 174-8.It was never near enough, as in reply the home side had contributions from all the top four, with Brendan Revell (59no off 55, four fours and three sixes) seeing them home in just 30.5 overs.