Bennett blasts half-century

Gardner, Chris Harris and Tom Agnew all took two wickets.

Sydenham’s innings would have looked even sorrier but for a dogged 50 from Ryan Jones.

Keryn Ambler secured three wickets for 11 for LPW with Sam Barker and Andrew Hazeldine taking two apiece.

Marist Harewood were outclassed at Redwood Park, crashing out for 82 in their first innings and struggling at 20 for 1 in their second against East Christchurch Shirley.

Nathan McNicol knocked the top off the Marist Harewood order in the first dig, taking the first three wickets before Joshua Milne (4-23 off 8 overs) and Tim Muir (2-19) quickly mopped up the middle and tail.

Easts were able to declare at 241-7 after a 149-run opening stand by the in-form Tim HamptonMatehe and Connor Arnold.

Arnold, who was first out, top scored with 81, a fine knock featuring nine fours and a six. Hampton-Matehe had five boundaries a six in his 67 while Darren Boom, at first drop, continued the top order runs glut with 41.

Marist Harewood at least had the consolation of claiming the best bowling bag of the round with Indy Grewal grabbing five wickets for 58 with openers Arnold and Hampton-Matehe among his scalps.

But Grewal’s team faces an uphill battle on the second day, still trailing Easts by 139 runs with nine second innings wickets remaining.