Final-over flurry seals Kaipaki win
Kaipaki Cricket Club XI faced the historic Stratford Cricket Club on Sunday in the second leg of their Taranaki tour. For the second consecutive day, Kaipaki captain Sean Gutry won the toss and decided to bat first.
The visitors changed their batting order, opening with Sean Bonenkamp and Dylan Jeffries. Bonenkamp was first to go as Dominic Hodgson joined Jeffries.
Hodgson showed good intent right from the first ball timing some beautiful played cover drives.
Jeffries played some nice straight and lofted drives over mid-wicket during an innings of 20 before he was adjudged LBW.
Impressive wicketkeeper-batsman Connor Cooke then joined Hodgson and they put together more than 100 runs.
Hodgson timed the ball beautifully through cover, making a solid 55 which included nine 4s.
Mac Gilkison came and went, which brought Leighton Parsons to the crease and Parsons and Cooke’s partnership took Kaipaki past 140.
Cooke played some nice cover drives and hit an outstanding 6 over mid-off.
He finished 45 not out. His innings included four 4s and a 6.
At the other end, Parsons also carried his bat to finish 25 not out.
Kaipaki XI charged out onto the Stratford Oval after the innings break.
Rob Heke and Gilkison were the opening bowlers. Heke finished with 1/14 off his four overs and Gilkison finished with 1/22.
His wicket came from a great Hodgson catch. In the middle parts
of Stratford’s innings, Kaipaki operated with Erin Hunt and Parsons.
Hunt topped off a great weekend for Kaipaki, bowling great lines and only going for 29 off her four overs. Parsons bowled his allotted overs in two spells.
During his first spell, Jarrod McDonald executed a run-out. McDonald was good in the field; diving, chasing and saving runs all afternoon.
Other visiting fielders to excel were evergreen David Fox and
Bonenkamp.
Captain Gutry and Jeffries shared the spinning duties, with Jeffries bowling the 19th over.
For the second time in two weeks, Kaipaki were involved in a game of cricket that went down to the wire.
Stratford needed six off the last over and up stepped Parsons. His first ball went for two.
The second ball was bowled to a well-set Stratford batsman.
He hit it straight back along the ground to Parsons who got a finger
on the ball, which then hit the stumps to run out the unlucky non-striker.
The third went for a single, meaning three runs were required off as many balls.
Ball four was a wicket as Parsons bowled the new batsman first ball.
Still with three runs required, Parsons charged in and the new Stratford batsman played and missed.
Wicketkeeper Cooke ran to the stumps to stop the batsman stealing a run.
At the final ball, the Kaipaki fielders were all on their toes ready to pounce.
But this wasn’t required. Parsons bowled the Stratford batsman, to give the touring Kaipaki cricketers the victory — their sixth consecutive Sunday win.
Parsons’ figures were 2/22.
All players added to a great Kaipaki performance, rounding off their Taranaki tour.
Parsons and Hodgson were awarded joint players of the day with English import Ross Forrester named Stratford’s best player.