Leeston-Southbridge claim season’s top cricket honours
Leeston-Southbridge are country cricket champions again after overcoming Ellesmere rivals Darfield in a lowscoring final at Leeston Park on Saturday.
A five-wicket haul for allrounder Chris Beatson and a composed innings by former Dutch international Tim Gruijters helped guide LeestonSouthbridge to 2022/23 Canterbury Country Premier One Day competition honours.
After losing the toss and batting, visitors Darfield made a slow yet steady start, negotiating the new ball pace of Sam Chamberlain and reaching 42-0.
But when Beatson came into the attack and removed both openers, including Robbie Foulkes for 17 off 41 balls, the home XI started to wrestle control of the match.
Most of the Darfield batsmen made decent starts but all failed to capitalise and were dismissed before making any major impressions on the scoreboard.
Leeston-Southbridge never let up in the field and their relentless discipline eventually saw Darfield crumple to be all out for a disappointing 125 in 36.3 overs.
Beatson was the star with the ball, finishing with 5-14 off 7.3 overs, with Dougald Munro, Gruijters, Ethan Booth and Harry Chamberlain all picking up one wicket apiece.
Darfield were fired up to defend the small total and soon had Leeston-Southbridge in dire straits.
In reducing them to 7-3, Foulkes was chief destroyer while Nick Jenkins knocked over Canterbury rep batsman Harry Chamberlain for a threeball duck.
But it was Gruijters who used all his international and Canterbury Country experience to save the day, making 42 off 86 balls and teaming up with Sam Chamberlain (35 off 66) in a crucial 68-run partnership for the fifth wicket to steady the ship.
Another flurry of wickets kept Darfield’s slim chances alive but the combined side knocked off the total to claim the championship with three wickets and 6.5 overs remaining.
Oxford-Rangiora-Southbrook won the plate final, beating Ohoka in another low-scoring affair at Mandeville.
Short scorecard:
Darfield 125 (N Jenkins 18, R Foulkes 17; C Beatson 5-14) lost to Leeston-Southbridge 129-7 (T Gruijters 42, S Chamberlain 35; R Foulkes 3-22).
Ohoka 95 (C Scott 3-18, J Waghorn 3-21, S Fleming 2-21) lost to Oxford-Rangiora-Southbrook 98-7 (D Fulton 31no, T Dwyer 24).