Kaipaki go so close in two epic encounters
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the Kaipaki Gold team arrived at the University of Waikato to face Star Uni Red. Gold captain Dylan Jeffries lost his first toss of the season and Star Uni decided to bat first.
Kaipaki opened the bowling with Rob Heke from one end, and Jeffries himself from the other, this week bowling left-arm seam.
Jeffries made the perfect start, picking up two early wickets and getting the new ball to swing into the right-hand batsmen.
He bowled his seven overs on the trot, taking 3 for 40 before putting on the wicket-keeping gloves.
He was well supported by Heke, who took 1 for 19 off five overs.
In the middle of the Star Uni innings, Dharmik Desai and comeback kid Matt Townsend were impressive.
Desai took 1 for 24 off five overs and Townsend 3 for 21 off six.
Other bowlers to get among the wickets were Trent Butler with 1 for 40 and David Fox, who took 1-1.
In the field Jeffries took two catches and a magnificent stumping.
Butler took a screamer of a onehanded catch down leg while keeping during the first part of the Star Uni Innings.
Star Uni went on to post 164 all out. When it came to Kaipaki Gold’s turn to bat Dan Fenwick walked out for his 140th game for the Kaipaki nation.
Fenwick opened with the muchimproved Kyle Walker.
Walker played some beautiful legside shots, and with Fenwick playing his trademark, back-of-point tabs and cuts the nation made a solid start.
Once both openers were dismissed Hiki Toroa looked in great form, playing some powerful shots through the leg side, and went on to make a well-played 28.
While wickets were falling around him, Fox worked hard to hold the innings together.
Desai (18) and Butler (20) helped to get Kaipaki close to the Uni score, with Fox going on to carry his bat making 49 not out, including six fours.
Kaipaki Gold came so close, finishing just eight runs short in a magnificent game of cricket.
Kaipaki Green v Star Uni Black
A strong Kaipaki Green assembled at the Kaipaki Oval to play Star Uni Black.
Kaipaki Green batted first, and following last week’s effort expectations were high.
And Kaipaki Green did start well through Conor Stuthridge and Sean Bonenkamp.
These two young cricketers both have natural hand-eye co-ordination.
Bonenkamp joined the nation during the 2017/18 season and since then has been a regular recipient at the annual Kaipaki awards evenings.
Over the last few years he has won the Allan Border Shirt Best Individual Performance Award, The Beige and Black young Cricketer of the Year twice and the Brian Croy Cup for the most runs in the season (three years running).
Stuthridge is an outstanding fielder and has won the Martyn Croy Gloves
Fielder of the year, and last season scored three hundreds and 663 runs in the season.
In a couple of weeks’ time when the two Kaipaki teams meet on March 12, a prize-giving will take place at the end of the day’s play to present the 2020/21 awards that were postponed last year due to Covid.
Stuthridge made 18 and Bonenkamp was unfortunate to be run out for 28 just as it was looking like it could be a long day for the Star Uni Black’s bowlers.
For the second week in a row Kaipaki Green had the services of Central Hinds co-captain Nat Burrows, a young lady who has also dominated the awards evenings over the years and since the 2015/2016 season has been Kaipaki Cricketer of the Year. She made 15.
The other Kaipaki batsman to make double figures was newly married Ben Woolerton, who made 20.
Kaipaki couldn’t string together any partnerships and were bowled out for 115.
When it came to Star’s turn to bat, the young Kaipaki bowling attack got into their work early.
Mark Hazelton bowled some sharp seam up, taking 2 for 21, well supported by his co-captain Zach Mahaffey, who took 3 for 36.
Star Uni were in trouble, and when the impressive young spinner Sean Gutry took two wickets, Star were 100/7.
Green made Uni work for every run, as the mighty Kaipaki team showed they were not going to give up without a fight.
Star Uni got home, but it was another magnificent game of cricket.