Sefton, Cheviot miss out on final
Darfield will play LeestonSouthbridge for country cricket’s one-day title on Saturday after both teams dominated low-scoring semifinals at the weekend.
Both Sefton and Cheviot will be disappointed to have been skittled for less than 100 runs during their crunch 45-over CRV Ambreed Country Premier One Day competition semis on Saturday.
It sets up an enticing final at Rangiora’s Mainpower Oval on Saturday between two sides stacked with representative players.
At Leeston Park on Saturday, visiting Sefton were inserted and quickly in trouble, as the combined XI ripped through the talented and long batting order.
Sefton’s danger man Amandep Arora looked in ominous early form but when he was chipped out by Tom Burt for 22, they never recovered.
No other Sefton batsman passed 20 and they struggled for any runs as the LeestonSouthbridge bowling unit squeezed them and eventually dismissed them for just 90 runs in the 40th over.
The wickets were shared around but Chris Beatson’s 3/10 stood out.
A 67-run opening partnership between Toby Doyle (24 runs off 48 balls) and Brayden Hill (29 off 36) broke the back of the chase, and although Sefton snared three quick wickets, were never in danger of defending the low total, with the winning runs being knocked off in the 21st over.
At Darfield Domain, Cheviot won the toss but quickly rued the decision to bat, being bundled out for just 89 in the 34th over.
Darfield’s new ball pair of Tom Innes and Will Greenslade knocked the top off the powerful Cheviot order before Greenslade came back to mop up the tail and end with four wickets.
Nick Gilbert made sure there were no hiccups in the chase, with his unbeaten halfcentury setting up the commanding 8-wicket win and spot in the final.
Saturday’s final at Mainpower Oval starts at 11.30am.
Short scorecard:
Sefton 90 (A Arora 22; C Beatson 3/10, T Burt 3/31, S Chamberlain 2/17) lost to Leeston-Southbridge 94/3 (B Hill 29, T Doyle 24). Cheviot 89 (W Smith 24, A Redfern 23; W Greenslade 4/21, T Innes 2/12) lost to Darfield 91/2 (N Gilbert 59no).