Stoke-Nayland, Wanderers take early control of season
Two games are already well advanced although newlypromoted Nelson College were making encouraging overtures on the opening day of the Car Company Nelson premier men’s twoday club cricket competition.
Car Company Stoke-Nayland’s all-seam bowling attack and a half century by skipper Ryan Edwards had them well in control against Athletic College Old Boys at the Marsden Rec on Saturday as Taylor’s Contracting Wanderers were also attempting to turn the screws against Bar 321 Waimea Toi Toi United in a low-scoring match at Lower Ngawhatu.
However Nelson College were hanging tough against Post Boy Hotel Wakatu, despite conceding a first day lead at Greenmeadows.
Stoke-Nayland’s bowlers ripped through ACOB’s batting lineup, eventually dismissing them for just 80 runs in 41 overs as former WTTU recruit Symon Carr (3-34), Brad Duncan (3-6) and Dylan Eginton (2-2) made the most of their early dominance.
Darius Skeaping also kept it tight, conceding just 15 runs off his 10 overs for no reward, leaving opener Greg Chitty (15), Simon McGowan (16) and Mani Jassal (13) as the only three ACOB batsmen to score double figures.
Ryan Edwards led StokeNayland’s reply, topscoring with 71 runs in an innings that included 10 fours and two sixes. He’d added 49 runs with brother Ricky Edwards (26), for the third wicket, although it was his 70-run fifth wicket stand with Ben Homan (29) that generated the real momentum.
Former Motueka opener Kurt Pahl had scored 35 runs at the top of the order as Brendan Hodgson (24), Dylan Eginton (27 not out) and Marty King (20) also added late runs before the declaration came at 279 for 8.
ACOB were already struggling at 20 for 3 after 10 overs in their second innings, still 179 runs in arrears.
Wanderers’ bowlers made even shorter work of WTTU’s batsmen at Lower Ngawhatu, easily defending their own first innings total of 155 to eventually dismiss WTTU for just 61 in 36 overs.
Wanderers’ opener Tom Cross played and missed regularly on his way to a top score of 37, hitting six fours and combining with Brodie Hanna (26) in a vital 56-run first wicket stand. Joe O’Connor (30) and Matt Weir (26) offered some middle order resistance as Sam Baxendine (3-26), Jon Routhan (3-52), Danny Watson (2-30) and Leath Armstrong (2-23) appeared to keep the innings in check.
It proved a false dawn as Wanderers’ new-ball attack of Hayden Ingham (3-14) and O’Connor, with an impressive 4-8 off his 10.2 overs, dismantled the WTTU innings.
Routhan’s score of 29 easily overshadowed an otherwise barren batting effort in which no other batsman reached double figures.
Wanderers were 52 for 2 in their second innings by stumps for an overall lead of 146 heading into day two.
A 60-run third-wicket stand between Sam Berkett and Ben Hazlett had provided Nelson College with an early confidence-boost in their premier debut against Wakatu.
Berkett (39) and Hazlett (24) helped lift the score through to 97 for 3, with subsequent contributions from Nic Clark (21), Alistair King (34 not out) and Paddy Howes (23 not out) carrying the total through to 203 for 6 when the declaration came after 60 overs. King and Howes added an unbeaten 51 runs together for the seventh wicket.
However, big half centuries by aggressive opener Aaron Dron and Campbell McLean enabled Wakatu to end the day on top as they eventually headed to stumps at 241 for 5.
Dron hit 86 runs off 84 balls, including 15 fours and a six, while McLean scored 83 off 113, with 11 fours and three sixes, as both helped build some sizeable partnerships after the loss of opener Daniel Hooper for a secondball duck.