Taka maintain lead into New year

Monday, 24 December 2012

Takapuna lead the Major Championship field at the Christmas break. The national club champions enjoy a lead of more than six points over current Hedley Howarth Trophy holders Suburbs New Lynn at the half way stage, while just behind the leading pair less than two points separate the four teams ranked third to sixth, something which should make for a dramatic second half to the season.

In the Minor Championship North Shore now lead the way after their third consecutive outright. Birkenhead City, who previously occupied the top spot, slipped to second after suffering their first two day defeat, while a sizeable gap has opened up between the two front runners and the chasing pack.

Hedley Howarth Trophy - Two-Day Major Championship

Round Five - Day Two

New World Victoria Park Grafton United v Howick Pakuranga - Victoria Park

New World Victoria Park Grafton United lifted themselves off the foot of the Major Championship table with a stunning outright victory over Howick Pakuranga in an enthralling day's play at Victoria Park.

At the start of day two Grafton required just a further 30 runs for victory, but the visitors needed only three wickets. And it was Howick who struck first when Scott Yeoman dismissed Michael Bing before the combination of Parth Patel (32no) and Dane Watson (19no) steadied the ship and guided their side to their initial target of securing first innings points.

At this point the home side declared their innings and sent the visitors in for the second time. After being dismissed for just 150 the previous week Howick made a better fist of things in their second dig with skipper Andy De Boorder continuing his fine form. De Boorder struck 11 fours and a pair of sixes in a free flowing 78 made from just 70 balls, and in so doing became the first batsman to pass the 500 run milestone for the season.

After 37 overs Howick had rattled up 190/7 and decided to declare their innings in the hope of forcing a reverse outright result. But the home side, requiring 187 for an outright victory, were given a flying start by Guy Coleman (24 from 23 balls) and Dusan Hakaraia (27 from 20 balls) before Andy Lane really got the ball rolling by striking nine boundaries in a 42-ball half century.

Howick then hit back with De Boorder picking up three quick wickets, but the host's middle-order once again stood up to be counted as Dilan Peris (35no) and Michael Bing (14no) helped secure the outright result with three wickets to spare.

Howick Pakuranga 150 (R Lahood 34, J Roberts 4/48, G Coleman 3/28) & 190/7 dec (A De Boorder 78, M Davis 40, P Patel 3/34) lost to New World Victoria Park Grafton United 154/8 dec (D Hakaraia 36, P Patel 32no, D Grobbelaar 4/33) & 188/7 (A Lane 55, D Peris 35no, A De Boorder 3/45) outright by five wickets.

Papatoetoe v ILG East Coast Bays - Papatoetoe Recreation Ground

ILG East Coast Bays have been one of the form teams in Premier cricket during the month of December and that run continued when they notched up their fourth consecutive victory when they defeated Papatoetoe on first innings at the Recreation Ground.

Bays began day two on 90/1 in pursuit of the home side`s first day total of 223, but it was Papatoetoe who made the running in the early stages when Aces spinner Bhupinder Singh dismissed Donovan Deeble for 72 and Kurt McDonald accounted for Cameron Fletcher.

Suddenly Bays were under pressure but their skipper Brad Schmulian was about to step up and play the ultimate captain`s innings. Last season`s club cricket champion player showed why he may challenge for the crown again with a sublime century in which he struck 12 fours and a six to secure first innings points for his side. Nick White (52) and Connor Ridge (46) were also in form as the visitors extended their lead beyond the century mark before Schmulian declared with his side on 326/6.

With 39 overs left in the day Bays hoped to be able to force an outright result but, despite trying no fewer than nine bowlers, the visiting attack were unable to make significant inroads into the home side`s line-up for a second time as Bharat Popli (41) and Karan Anand (51) helped guide their team through until the close of play.

Papatoetoe 223 (D Pimm 76no, L Popli 70, B Schmulian 6/47) & 139/5 (K Anand 51, L Popli 41) lost to ILG East Coast Bays 326/6 dec (B Schmulian 104no, D Deeble 72, N White 58, C Ridge 46, K McDonald 3/94) on first innings.

The Fox Suburbs New Lynn v Cornwall - Ken Maunder Park

After 98 overs of toil with the bat on day one The Fox Suburbs New Lynn were rewarded with a comfortable first innings victory over Cornwall on day two at Ken Maunder Park.

The home side batted out the entire first day to post a total of 226 and the visitors fell 80 runs short in their reply thanks in no small part to the bowling of James Nolen. Nolen picked up his second five wicket haul of the season as he ran through the Cornwall middle order whilst conceding just 45 runs from his 14 overs.

After securing first innings points Suburbs chose to bat out the remainder of the day reaching 150/5 from 46 overs before stumps were drawn, the innings providing the platform for Tom Cullen to strike his first half century in Premier cricket, the Englishman`s unbeaten 55 being well supported by Sean Solia (36no).

The result pushed Suburbs up to second in the standings while Cornwall will begin the second half of the season in seventh position.

The Fox Suburbs New Lynn 226 (M Barry 64, P Gough 50, S Solia 47, S Anderson 5/40, T Nidamanuru 3/24) & 150/5 (T Cullen 55no, S Solia 36no) defeated Cornwall 156 (J Nolen 5/45) on first innings.

Parnell v Takapuna - Shore Road

A century from Kirk Bunting helped Parnell avoid an outright defeat at the hands of Major Championship leaders Takapuna at Shore Road.

Taka secured first innings points and a healthy 167 run lead on day one, but Parnell are no strangers to strong performances on day two as evidenced by the fact that they had won both of their previous matches reverse outright.

On this occasion a reverse outright was virtually out of the question but Parnell still showed plenty of character to bat out the entire day and ensure Taka remain within touching distance at the top of the ladder. Kirk Bunting led the way for his side with a superb century - he has been a shining light for Parnell this summer and his innings of 118 left him just eight runs short of 500 at the halfway stage of the season.

What made Bunting`s efforts even more special was the fact that he was the only Parnell batsman to pass 27 as Nigel Collins (3/40) and the rest of the visiting attack hit their straps. However, despite giving all eleven players including the wicket keeper a bowl, Taka were unable to claim the final two wickets and time was called on the day an hour early with Parnell having reached the safety of 272/8.

Despite being unable to force an outright Takapuna`s recent form ensured a lead of more than 6 points over last season`s champions Suburbs New Lynn at the Christmas break. Parnell slipped to third place, ten points off the pace.

Tom Hellaby Trophy - Two-Day Minor Championship

Round Five - Day Two

Eden Roskill v North Shore - Keith Hay Park

North Shore overtook Birkenhead at the top of the Minor Championship table thanks to their third consecutive outright victory. This time Eden Roskill were the victims at Keith Hay Park.

Shore began day two needing just 52 runs to secure the first innings points, and with seven wickets in hand and they had little trouble reaching the target as Michael Olsen guided his side to victory with a composed unbeaten 44. After 50 overs, and with an 18 run lead secured, Shore decided to send Roskill in for a second time and things went from bad to worse for the home side as they were bundled out for just 99 inside 37 overs.

Once again Michael Stevenson did the damage with the ball for the Shore. In the two matches prior to this game Stevenson had taken 17 wickets at a cost of just 111 runs, and he was on song again taking 5/18 in 13 overs to decimate the home side`s line-up. Ollie Allen (3/25) and Matt Selby (2/35) also chipped in as Shore were left a target of just 82 for victory.

And Mark Tulloch looked like he wanted to get things over with quickly, smashing 32 from just 28 balls as Shore rushed to a six wicket outright victory. The success, coupled with a Birkenhead defeat the hands of Ellerslie, moved Shore 7.45 points clear at the top of the table heading into the Christmas break.

Eden Roskill 170 (B Randell 45, R Sandhu 31, J Tasman-Jones 4/23) & 99 (R Sandhu 33, M Stevenson 5/18, O Allen 3/25) lost to North Shore 188/5 dec (M Olsen 44no, M Tulloch 33, M Chapman 32, R Sandhu 4/76) & 82/4 (M Tulloch 32) outright by six wickets.

Ellerslie v HRV Birkenhead City - Michaels Ave

Ellerslie inflicted HRV Birkenhead City`s first Minor Championship defeat of the season at Michaels Ave.

After posting 314 on day one the home side were clear favourites heading into the second day, and with Aces seamer Dean Bartlett back in the fold they took an early grip on proceedings. Bartlett claimed figures of 4/41 from 14 overs as he ripped through the top order, Rob McConnochie the only player in the top seven able to post a significant score.

McConnochie almost single-handedly kept his side in the game, striking 15 fours in a 138-ball stay at the crease, but when he was dismissed four short of a century the home side were in the ascendancy. Tazz Satti (43) and Darrin Crook (32) tried their best to bring City back into the game but Matt Newman (4/57) finished the job for the hosts as the visitors fell 88 runs short. Ellerslie then batted out the remaining 23 overs in the day, reaching 67/3 before time was called.

The result saw Birkenhead ousted as leaders for the first time this season and they will begin 2013 with a 7.45 point deficit to make up on North Shore. Ellerslie's victory moved them up to fourth although they are more than 20 points adrift of the leaders at this stage.

Ellerslie 314 (K Pearce 88, M Drake 77, S Kearns 39, M Newman 37no, P Muchall 4/51, T Satti 3/38) & 67/3 defeated HRV Birkenhead City 226 (R McConnochie 96, T Satti 43, D Crook 32, D Bartlett 4/41, M Newman 4/57) on first innings.

Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City v Auckland University - Te Atatu Park

After securing the first innings points Auckland University came within a whisker of a sensational outright victory over Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City at Te Atatu Park.

The home side began the day in the solid position of 76/1 in pursuit of Varsity`s challenging day-one total of 294, and when Hayden Pye-Redfearn and Aaron Jeavons took the score to 129/1 City looked to be in control of their own destiny. But when Pye-Redfearn was dismissed for 35 wickets began to fall at regular intervals as Kurt Law (4/69) impressed for the visitors, and despite Jeavons (78) best efforts Waitakere were dismissed well short of the target in the 84th over.

This gave University a welcome first innings victory, and after a disappointing opening to the campaign had left his team adrift at the foot of the Minor Championship table, skipper Marc Ellison looked to force an outright in the hope his side could make up ground on the other Tom Hellaby Trophy sides.

Varsity batted for just 11 overs in their second innings, racing to 81/3 with Barrington Rowland scoring a quickfire 41 from 33 balls before Ellison declared the innings to set Waitakere a target of 152 in 24 overs.

The home side`s reply got off to a bad start when Warren Barnes dismissed Pye-Redfearn with the second ball of the innings, and Barnes went on to take a further four scalps as City continued to chase the target despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Amit Dhadwal was at the forefront of the Waitakere charge, scoring 50 in as many balls, but when he was dismissed by Law (3/29) the focus switched to survival for the home team and the final pairing of Sheahan Huri and Paul Whynn managed to bat out the last eight balls to end an enthralling day's play.

The result helped University jump from bottom position to third on the ladder, although they are still more than 20 points behind the leaders, while Waitakere dropped onto the bottom rung vacated by their conquerors.

Auckland University 294 (J Dineen 75, M Ellison 63, V Jeet 37no, C Dineen 36, S Curtis 4/83, P Hira 3/58) & 81/3 dec (B Rowland 41no) defeated Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City 224 (A Jeavons 78, A Dhadwal 38, H Pye-Redfearn 35, A Kitchen 33, K Law 4/69) & 134/9 (A Dhadwal 50, W Barnes 5/41, K Law 3/29) on first innings.


Hedley Howarth Trophy Standings:
Takapuna                              58.72
Suburbs New Lynn                52.50
Parnell                                  48.65
East Coast Bays                     48.54
Howick Pakuranga                47.40
Grafton United                     47.33
Cornwall                              39.53
Papatoetoe                          33.06

Tom Hellaby Trophy Standings:
North Shore                         64.59
Birkenhead City                   57.15
Auckland University             42.54
Ellerslie                                40.71
Eden Roskill                         39.44
Waitakere City                      37.14