Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Wairau secures a place in final
Wairau booked its place in the SBS Bank Senior grade 40-over final following a bonus point win over Renwick last Saturday.
Andrew McCaa (125) and Hunter Ruffell (63) led the way in Wairau’s 268 (Cody Golding 3-58) before Renwick’s batting was demolished for only 82, Griffin Carter (3-31), Tim Petrie (3-1).
Celtic will almost certainly join them in the final following a tense 1 wicket win over Wairau Valley.
James McVitie top scored with 81no in Valley’s 157 for 5, with Celtic just getting home thanks to 37 from Ben Blackman and a crucial 12no from No10 batter Jaden Adams.
There were some fine performances from WK junior players as our junior grades got under way over the weekend including: Blake Nation (41), Dylan Gifford (29 & 3-7), Rupert Hammond (2-21), Dom Alexander (36), George Grigg (2-9), Fionn Heagney (56), Charlie Booker (34), Joseph Gilhooly (2-23), Liam Cohen (52), Spencer Gregg (50), Josh Shoemark (18 & 2-17), Lukas Dowling (2-4).
Monday saw the start of the WK 4th grade Super 8 T20 League, a new initiative involving players who have signed up for our primary schools’ development coaching programmes with four teams of eight playing a round-robin series of games at Renwick every second Monday, over 20 overs per side.
In 3rd grade games Hayden McWilliam was the match winner for Wairau in their fivewicket win over Wairau Valley, top scoring with 39 taking 2-19. He was well-supported by Sinclair Hill (2-12) while Aaron Robinson top scored for Valley with 37no from number ten in the order.
SMASHING SUCCESS
On Sunday, the sun shone, and we had eight teams taking part in our Churchill Private Hospital
Women’s Social Cricket festival day which kicked off the social grade season.
It was great to see the ladies having so much fun with the games played in a true sporting spirit. The mid-week competition starts next week so if you haven’t confirmed your entries yet please do so by emailing eden@marlboroughcricket.co. nz.
Also on Sunday, the Marlborough Year 11/12 reps had a narrow 3 wicket loss to their Nelson counterparts at Horton Park.
Griffin Carter was the star performer for Marlborough, hitting 65 from 76 balls out of a total of 145 and putting pressure on the Nelson batters with his off spin bowling in tandem with Tim Petrie (3-23). At 101 for 7 Marlborough were favourites but could not find another breakthrough.
Best wishes to the Marlborough Men’s Senior rep side who take on Nelson at Saxton Oval this Sunday in a Newman Shield challenge to get their season under way. This weekend also sees the start of the 2nd Grade, 40-over competition as well as final rounds games in the Senior grade competition.