Kaipaki, St Paul’s keep setting pace

Kaipaki remain on track to complete the Waikato Valley double, but St Paul’s Collegiate School will be eager to stop them.

The two sides both notched big wins in their Champions Trophy 100-over matches on Saturday to progress into the top four split for the competition’s final three weeks.

Having beaten St Paul’s in the final of the Mike Cotter Cup one-day competition earlier in the season, Kaipaki again defeated them in the round-robin phase of this one and kept their winning run going at the weekend by thrashing Cambridge by 133 runs at the Cambridge Square.

The visitors racked up 305 in their 52 overs for the loss of just four wickets, with Hugo Botha (81), Brad Leonard (72) and Corey Hyde (60) all making half centuries. Tokoroa 197-7 lost to Te Awamutu 198-8 (Z Gibson 85, J Bayly 35) by 2 wickets. Otorohanga 176 (C Keech 72, J Hall 43; M Green 6-56) lost to Hinuera 182-7 (A Marsh 83, K Austin 47; S Mouat 3-65) by 3 wickets. Kaipaki 305-4 (H Botha 81, B Leonard 72, C Hyde 60) beat Cambridge 172 (N Boyle 79) by 133 runs. St Paul’s 261-9 (C Swanson 100; J Babu 5-40) beat Waikare 64 by 197 runs.

Despite Nick Boyle scoring 79 for the second week running, the home side was bundled out for 172.

St Paul’s qualified second after hammering Waikare by 197 runs at the Te Kauwhata Domain.

Chris Swanson made exactly 100 and Jacob Babu took five wickets, as the visitors got to 261-9 in their 52 overs.

It proved too much for the hosts, who were dismantled for just 64. The other two matches were closer. At Albert Park, Tokoroa made 197-7 from their 52 against hosts Te Awamutu, who then chased it down eight balls shy of their allotted 48 overs, thanks to Zac Gibson’s 85.

At the Otorohanga Domain defending champions Hinuera got up over the hosts by three wickets.

Otorohanga’s Chris Keech smashed 72 off only 26 balls, while James Hall contributed 43, but the home side was all out for 176 in 30.5 overs, with seamer Mitch Green taking 6-56 off 11.

Antony Marsh led the chase with 83, while Kelvin Austin’s 47 was also crucial, as Hinuera won in the 39th over.