Innings wins the order of the day as table splits

A clear buffer has now been created between the top three teams and the bottom three teams in Hamilton club cricket’s Eddy Marr Bowl competition, after the latest round on Saturday.

Hamilton Boys’ High School, Old Boys and Fraser-Tech made it a third successive profitable weekend post the Christmas/New Year break to all record convincing victories on day two of their twoday fixtures.

There is now 13.30 points between third-placed Tech and fourth-placed Marist-Suburbs, and with one-day matches taking place the next two weekends and less points being on offer, the top three is likely to remain unchanged for a further two rounds.

Competition leaders HBHS are secure as frontrunners for at least the next round - 9.90 points clear of Old Boys - after picking up their maximum 15 points in their innings and 48-run trouncing of Melville at Galloway Park.

Having rolled Melville for 119 on day one, HBHS, thanks to Owen Ivins’ 124, had made it through to 234-4 at stumps last weekend, and they proceeded to pile on the runs on day two.

Jamie Moore (70 off 77 balls) brought up his half century as HBHS passed 250 and their maximum 2.50 batting bonus points, while at the other end Michael Dodunski came in and had a ball, smashing it to all parts in a stunning unbeaten 101 off just 55 deliveries. The right-hander’s knock featured 10 fours and five sixes, and with the three figures came the declaration, at 377-5 in 67.3 overs, with HBHS a healthy 258 runs ahead.

In an absolutely dire situation, Melville openers Niall Cooper (45) and Callum Hill (31) were able to put on 82 for the first wicket, but left-arm spinner Brayden Gaylor (4-66 off 17.4 overs) came on and bowled both players, which triggered a collapse. Melville lost 9-76, with only Hayden Cargo’s 76 not out off 83 in a 52-run lastwicket stand delaying the inevitable, before Gaylor had Gary Parmar caught, with Melville out for 210 in 53.4 overs.

Things were similarly onesided at Jansen Park, with FraserTech wrapping up an innings and 42-run hammering of MaristSuburbs.

Seamer

Elliot Law’s eight-

wicket haul had bundled MaristSuburbs out for 81 on day one, with Tech responding with 267-8 declared, before Law’s ninth of the day reduced Marist-Suburbs to 15-1 at stumps.

Resuming in need of something special, instead Marist-Suburbs lost a wicket in the third over of day two, with Law ensuring his match 10-for. While that was to be Law’s last wicket of the match, the rest of the Tech attack took charge, with PJ Monga (4-57 off 12) the most profitable, including taking the vital scalp of the returning Peter Bocock. Six of the MaristSuburbs batsmen made it into double figures but none could pass 22, as they were bowled out for 144 in 48.1 overs.

In the other match, at Galloway Park, second-placed Old Boys cruised to a seven-wicket over bottom of the table Star University.

Having bowled Star out for 107 and then claimed first innings points by responding with 167, Old Boys had reduced Star to 94-5 at stumps on day one.

Needing plenty of bottom order resistance to set a testing target, Star added 30 in the morning, before Alex Oakley (24 off 69) and Yohann Irani (47 off 100) both fell with the score at 126. Seamer Cooper Rowell then came on and rattled the stumps three times to claim 5-35 off 16, and 10 for the match, following his 5-26 off 10.2 in the first innings, as Star were dismissed for 165 in 52 overs.

That left Old Boys with a target of 106, and a brisk 43 off 34 from opener Carl Gallagher set them on their way, as they finished the job in 18.4 overs.