Spoils shared by Tasman teams
Stoke Nayland eased past the Dolphins while Marlborough’s Falcons secured a crucial win at Brightwater in Saturday’s second round of the Top of the South Kelvin Scoble Trophy premier oneday cricket competition.
Big half centuries by opener Chris Dittmer and Ryan Edwards proved critical to the home team’s competitive 259-run total, despite their innings lasting only 47 overs, before eventually dismissing the Dolphins for just 81 off 19.4 overs for a comprehensive 178-run win.
Dittmer struggled early on but battled through to make another significant 73-run contribution off 96 balls, including 13 fours.
Edwards continued his recent return to form with a wellcompiled 87 off 67 balls, hitting 15 boundaries, as opener Kurt Pahl (27) and Brendan Hodgson (23) also made useful contributions.
Big seamer Matt McCormick (2-37) was unlucky early on as Ben Blackman (3-55) eventually enjoyed the major spoils.
But apart from opening batsman Josh Smith, the Dolphins never looked like threatening their 260-run target.
Smith hit seven of his team’s 10 boundaries in scoring 38 off 48 balls in an otherwise dismal Dolphins run chase as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just five runs. Hodgson (3-18), Dylan Eginton (2-13) and Aditya Puri (2-1) led the wicket-takers.
At Brightwater, not even an unbeaten 92-run innings from Joe O’Connor was enough to get home team Wanderers across the line in a tight eight-run loss to Marlborough’s Falcons.
If the Falcons’ 151-run total off just 36.4 overs had appeared somewhat on the skinny side, their bowlers dramatically turned the match on its head by eventually dismissing Wanderers for 143 in the 42nd over of their reply.
Opening batsman O’Connor was left stranded on 92 off 134 balls, having compiled a desperate 35-run final wicket stand with Hayden Taylor (13) when the last wicket fell.
They were the only two Wanderers batsmen to register double figures as Mark Gear (3-49), Sam Boyce (2-22), offspinner Alex Kennedy (2-33) and economical left-arm spinner Rikki Bovey (1-20) combined superbly to keep Wanderers’ batsmen under constant pressure.
Louis Woolcolme (27), Tim Abrahams (23) and Harrison Boyce (20) had earlier provided the bulk of the Falcons’ runs as they struggled to build any substantial partnerships.
But it was enough in the end, O’Connor also featuring with the ball by taking 2-3 off his two overs.
Cade Armstrong belied his parttime status as the key contributor in an unbroken 31-run final-wicket stand that helped Waimea Toi Toi United to a dramatic one-wicket win over Nelson College at Jubilee Park. Chasing 174 runs for victory after dismissing the students for 173 off 48 overs, WTTU appeared to be heading towards inevitable defeat at 145-9 in the 37th over.
But with Amit Dhiman providing solid support, Armstrong dug in to finish 22 not out when he hit the winning boundary off seamer Tom Zohrab in the 41st over.
Paddy Howes had earlier helped keep the students’ innings together with 53 runs off 75 balls, hitting seven fours and a six, to complement contributions from opener Dave Zohrab (26) and Ben Hazlett (32).
And while seamer Tom O’Neill (4-36) led the wicket-takers, Armstrong had already heralded his presence with 3-24 off his 10 economical overs.
In reply, the efforts of openers Mason Thelin (33) and Sam Baxendine (32) and skipper Jon Routhan (45) appeared to be in vain as offspinner Dave Zohrab (4-19) led the students’ counterattack. But with victory in sight, Armstrong injected himself once again to steal an unlikely win.
Meanwhile at Victory Square, Campbell McLean also helped steer home team Wakatu to a fourwicket win over Athletic College Old Boys.
Chasing 171 for victory, McLean’s 80-run sixth-wicket stand with Jared Exeter (45) all but got Wakatu across the line, McLean finishing 47 not out off 75 balls when Laurence Kirdy hit the winning boundary off the first ball of the 41st over at 171-6.
Central Stags batsman Josh Clarkson had made a rare appearance in ACOB’s lineup but could only muster 16 runs in their innings of 170 as Marty Kain led the scoring with 48 runs off 55 balls.
Opener Ben Gully contributed 28 as Ryan Hooper (3-52), Dhamesha Rathnayake (3-29) and offspinner Exeter (2-30) shared the wickets.
ACOB appeared well in the hunt at 87-5 in Wakatu’s reply, before McLean and Exeter took charge to help secure the win. Liam Baird (3-31) led the wickettakers.