Destructive Kelliher blazes big ton at home

Anything you can do, I can do better.

That was just the message delivered, in such audacious fashion, by Cambridge opener Dillon Kelliher in the second round of the Hamilton/Waikato Valley 50-over club cricket competition on Saturday.

In the match against Melville at Cambridge High School, visiting opener Tharik Alam had not long walked off after making 104 and guiding his side to 246-7, before Kelliher laid down his wicketkeeping gear and set about his other job.

He showed his full array of weaponry in a sublime knock of 154 not out off 104 balls, to lead the hosts to a seven-wicket bonus-point win.

Cambridge chased down their target in just 36.5 overs, with Kelliher, who was dropped on 34, smashing 13 fours and 10 sixes - going big and straight off both spin and pace - seeing the job through in stunning style.

It had originally looked like Alam would be the man of the moment, after the left-hander raced to his own hundred. Melville had won the toss and opted to bat, but only had 10 runs off the first 10 overs, before Alam picked up the pace, and struck eight fours and four sixes in a 126-ball knock.

But Kelliher had other ideas, and helped Cambridge to bounce back from their firstround defeat to Star University.

Star are the only side in Pool Two to be two wins from two, after they also produced a good chase and also won by seven wickets, against Old Boys at Steele Park.

The other match in the pool was a tight affair, with St Paul’s Collegiate School keeping Te Awamutu winless after scraping home by seven runs at the school ground.

In Pool One, Hinuera and Marist-Suburbs both carried on their winning ways, in contrasting fashion. Hinuera were comfortable 88-run winners over Otorohanga at the Otorohanga Domain.

At Hamilton Boys’ High School, Marist-Suburbs were bowled out for 158 in 48 overs. HBHS was bundled out for 148 in exactly 50 overs.

The other match saw Morrinsville keep Fraser-Tech winless, with a four-wicket win at the Morrinsville Recreation Ground. Danny Gibbs’ 87 guided Tech to 204-8, but Sam Cooper’s 55, and others chipping in, saw the hosts win with an over to spare.