Tight finishes in club cricket round one
Some tight contests featured between Waikato Valley and Hamilton as the club cricket season finally got underway.
With October rain seeing the abandonment altogether of the Richard Dodunski Twenty20 competition, it took until the fourth scheduled weekend for cricket to eventuate, with the opening round of the Hec Holland Plate one-day competition.
Each of these limited overs competitions was taking on a new look this season, with Hamilton and Waikato Valley joining forces. The one-day comp features two pools with an equal split from each association, with five round robin games (the first three on artificial pitches) to decide the finalists.
As it transpired, the opening round featured all Hamilton v Waikato Valley contests.
In Pool One, there were bonuspoint wins for Fraser-Tech and Hamilton Boys’ High School, over Morrinsville and St Paul’s Collegiate School (Waikato Valley), respectively.
At the Morrinsville Recreation Ground Tech recovered from 28-4, thanks to No 3 PJ Monga’s 56 off 92, to post 158, all out in 41.2 overs.
Craig Robb then struck first ball of the innings, going on to take 5-36 off 10, working in fine partnership with Elliot Law (3-21
‘‘At the Morrinsville Recreation Ground Tech recovered from 28-4, thanks to No 3 PJ Monga's 56 off 92, to post 158, all out in 41.2 overs.’’
off seven) to skittle the hosts to a stunning 25-7. It was then just a matter of time before they succumbed, all out for 100 in 31.1 overs.
HBHS were led by experienced heads Owen Ivins (83) and Michael Dodunski (50) as they posted 248-5 against hosts St Paul’s, who slumped to 58-6 in reply, before a 97-run stand for the eighth wicket between Tom Yarrall (48) and coach Mark Bailey (53no) elongated the result, with the hosts finishing 196-8 and going down by 52 runs.
The other match saw Melville prevail by 11 runs over Hinuera at Matamata’s Pohlen Park, but possibly only because an in-form batsman had a farm to attend to.
The visitors posted 217-6 thanks to No 3 Liam Burling’s 77 off 112, before Hinuera went blazing in reply, with opener Ryan Wilson smashing 65 off 27 (four fours, six sixes) but having to retire on 3pm because the cows needed milking.
No 4 Scott Mitchell played the opposite way, with 31 off 100, while Mitch Green (49 off 43) kept Hinuera in the fight. However, leg-spinner Keir Bettley proved a fine addition to the attack, claiming the eighth and 10th wickets, while running out Mitchell in between, as Hinuera stumbled to 206 all out in 46 overs.
Pool Two featured a couple of real humdingers, with defending champions Old Boys prevailing by one wicket against reigning Waikato Valley one-day champs Otorohanga, at the Otorohanga Domain.
The other tight finish saw Cambridge hold off Star University by four runs at the Leamington Rugby Ground.