This weekend saw the first full round of cricket across the board with both women’s and junior cricket starting up around Tāmaki Makaurau. See how the Cityguard Premier Men and the Premier Women got along on Saturday with our Premier Report for the 1st of November.

Hedley Howarth Trophy – Round Two

Suburbs New Lynn Premier Men vs. Auckland University Premier Men

Ken Maunder Park, Suburbs New Lynn, 24/2 trail Auckland University 318/9 declared (B Rowland 78, R McCullum 53, M Patel 4/153) by 294 runs

Auckland University took control on the opening day at Ken Maunder Park, posting an imposing 318/9 declared after being sent in by Suburbs New Lynn. Openers Riley McCullum (53) and Joshua Stephan (48) laid a solid foundation with a composed partnership at the top, before the ever-reliable Barrington Rowland lifted the tempo with a fluent 78 from just 76 deliveries.

Despite some disciplined spells from Suburbs’ bowlers late in the day, University’s total reflected a patient and professional batting effort.

In reply, Suburbs lost two early wickets before stumps, with veteran Martin Guptill making 15 before being dismissed late in the day. Auckland University will head into next week’s play with confidence, holding the early advantage after a strong all-round showing.

Takapuna Premier Men vs. Parnell Premier Men

Onewa Domain Takapuna, 154/8 (W O’Donnell 61, J Dymond 4/23) lead Parnell 120 (S Collinson 4/33) by 34 runs

Takapuna continued their strong start to the season on day one at Onewa Domain, with the home side gaining a narrow upper hand over visiting Parnell in their Hedley Howarth Cup clash.

Parnell were sent in after Takapuna won the toss, and found runs hard to come by against a disciplined home attack. Flynn McGregor-Sumpter held the innings together with a gritty 48 off 104 deliveries, but wickets fell regularly around him as Sam Collinson continued his outstanding early-season form, taking 4/33 to back up his 10-wicket performance from the previous round. Parnell were eventually dismissed for 120.

In reply, Takapuna’s openers made a steady start, with Will O’Donnell (61 off 71) and Cambell Brighouse (33 off 63) putting on a valuable partnership at the top. Parnell’s bowlers fought back late in the day, led by Jack Dymond’s sharp spell of 4/23, to keep their side in the contest.

Takapuna will resume next week at 154/8, holding a 34-run first-innings lead in what shapes as a finely balanced two-day encounter.

East Coast Bays Premier Men vs. Grafton Premier Men

Windsor Park, East Coast Bays 113/2 (L Watson 53) trail Grafton 175 by 62 runs

East Coast Bays hold the upper hand after a productive opening day against Grafton at Windsor Park.

Grafton chose to bat first after winning the toss but found runs hard to come by on a surface offering assistance to the bowlers. Middle-order pair Sineth Gunawardane and Jack Duffy both battled well to post 30s, but regular wickets prevented any major partnerships from developing. Bays’ attack maintained consistent pressure throughout, with Kyle Kieser the pick of the bowlers, finishing with tidy figures of 3/35.

In reply, East Coast Bays started confidently with opener Luke Watson leading the way in aggressive fashion, striking a brisk 53 from just 35 deliveries to put his side in a strong position by stumps. Bays will resume next week at 113/2, trailing by only 62 runs and with the opportunity to push for first-innings points early on day two.

Howick Pakuranga Premier Men vs. Cornwall Premier Men

Lloyd Elsmore Park, Cornwall 162/3 (P Mistry 51) lead Howick Pakuranga 159 (R Hekmat 5/32) by 3 runs

Cornwall took control of proceedings on day one at Lloyd Elsmore Park, responding strongly after bowling out Howick Pakuranga for 159.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Howick Pakuranga struggled to build momentum against a probing Cornwall attack. Kavi Minhas was the best of the batters with a determined 34, but regular breakthroughs from leg spinner Rahman Hekmat (5/32) kept the hosts in check.

In reply, Cornwall’s top order applied themselves well, steadily eroding the deficit through composed partnerships. Priyam Mistry anchored the innings with an assured unbeaten 51, guiding his side to 162/3 by stumps — a first-innings lead of three runs heading into day two, with Cornwall well positioned to press home their advantage next week.

Tom Hellaby Trophy – Round Two

Eden Roskill Premier Men vs. Kumeu Premier Men 

Keith Hay Park, Kumeu 84/8 trail Eden Roskill 179 (K Ahir 6/43) by 95 runs

Eden Roskill took the upper hand on day one of their Tom Hellaby Cup clash with Kumeu at Keith Hay Park, thanks to a disciplined team performance with both bat and ball.

After electing to bat first, Eden Roskill battled their way to 179 on a surface offering plenty for the bowlers. Opener Swayam Desai led the way with a patient 36 at the top of the order, while Kumeu’s Kiran Ahir was outstanding with the ball, returning impressive figures of 6/43 to keep the hosts within reach.

Kumeu’s reply proved equally challenging as Eden Roskill’s attack maintained tight lines throughout the afternoon. Opener Roop Bommala showed grit to compile 38 from 115 deliveries, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Syed Mujtaba was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/30 as Kumeu finished the day on 84/8, still trailing by 95 runs and with work to do to avoid conceding first-innings points.

North Shore Premier Men vs. Papatoetoe Premier Men

Devonport Domain, North Shore 191/6 (S Hinds 75, J Clough 54) lead Papatoetoe 178 by 13 runs

North Shore gained the early advantage on day one at Devonport Domain, edging ahead of Papatoetoe in a lively start to their Tom Hellaby Cup encounter.

After being sent in, Papatoetoe’s innings never quite settled despite a brisk opening from Prabjyot Rehal, who struck 35 from just 20 balls. The North Shore bowlers maintained steady pressure throughout, with Brandon Mavuta claiming 3/36 and help restrict the visitors to 178.

In reply, North Shore’s top order responded confidently. Opener Sam Hinds anchored the innings with a composed 75, while Jack Clough provided late acceleration with an unbeaten 54 off 34 balls to push the home side into the lead before stumps.

North Shore will resume next week at 191/6, holding a 13-run advantage and well placed to build on their strong first-day showing.

Birkenhead Premier Men vs. Ellerslie Premier Men

Birkenhead War Memorial Park, Ellerslie 116/6 trail Birkenhead 360 (J Newman 81, A Kariyawasam 72, H Singh 4/73) by 244 runs

Birkenhead asserted strong control over their Tom Hellaby clash with Ellerslie at Birkenhead War Memorial Park, dominating day one with both bat and ball.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Birkenhead produced a commanding batting display to post 360 from just 62.4 overs. Middle-order duo James Newman (81 off 75) and Ashail Kariyawasam (72 off 45) were outstanding, combining power with precision to pile on the runs. Valuable lower-order contributions ensured the momentum never dipped, while Ellerslie’s Harmanpreet Singh was the standout with the ball, taking 4/73 in an otherwise challenging innings for the visitors.

Ellerslie’s reply got off to a shaky start as Birkenhead’s bowlers shared the spoils in a disciplined team performance. Shannon Wimalaratne showed resistance with 32, but wickets fell regularly as Ellerslie stumbled to 116/6 by stumps, still trailing by 244 runs and with a big task ahead heading into day two.

Waitakere Premier Men vs. Hibiscus Coast Premier Men

Te Atatū Park, Hibiscus Coast 91/1 trail Waitakere 287 (S Variath 73, R de Silva 61, M Atkins 49, A Jayampathi 6/55) by 196 runs

Runs flowed freely at Te Atatū Park on day one as Waitakere posted a strong first-innings total before Hibiscus Coast replied confidently in their Tom Hellaby Cup encounter.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Waitakere recovered superbly from a nightmare start that saw both openers dismissed without scoring. Middle-order pair Sachin Variath (73) and Ranindu de Silva (61) steadied the innings with a composed partnership, before a blistering cameo from number ten batter Mitchel Atkins — 49 off just 29 balls — propelled the home side to an impressive 287. For Hibiscus Coast, opening bowler Anuradha Jayampathi was outstanding, claiming 6/55 to keep Waitakere from pushing the total even higher.

In response, Hibiscus Coast made an assured start, reaching 91/1 by stumps. Opener Jithin Ramachandran led the way with an unbeaten 44, guiding his side to a solid platform as they look to build towards first-innings parity on day two.

Prichard Cup – Round One

Cornwall Premier Women vs. Auckland University Premier Women

Cornwall Park, Cornwall 208/7 (B Armstrong 50, Z Ikiua 2/30) beat Auckland University 189 (P Catton 46, A Hucker 4/29, I O’Connell 4/28) by 19 runs

Cornwall began their Prichard Cup campaign on a winning note, holding off a spirited Auckland University chase to secure a 19-run victory at Cornwall Park.

After being sent in to bat, Cornwall produced a composed team effort with the bat, building steadily throughout the innings. Opener Bella Armstrong led from the front with a fluent 50 off 42 deliveries, setting the tone for a well-rounded batting performance. Consistent contributions down the order lifted the hosts to a competitive 208/7 from their 40 overs. For University, Zamera Ikiua was the pick of the bowlers, returning tidy figures of 2/30 from her full quota.

Auckland University made a promising start in reply through opener Prue Catton, who struck a lively 46 from 35 balls to keep her side in the hunt. However, Cornwall’s bowlers turned the tide through an excellent combined effort — Amie Hucker (4/29) and Issy O’Connell (4/28) were superb, sharing eight wickets between them to close out the innings and seal the win.

It was a confident all-round display from Cornwall, who will take plenty of positives into the next round of the Prichard Cup.

Takapuna Premier Women vs. Parnell Premier Women

Shore Road Reserve, Takapuna 192/8 (A Kelly 45, O Anderson 40, N Clayton 3/27) beat Parnell 177 (E Drumm 85, L Watton 2/20) by 15 runs

Takapuna edged past Parnell in a thrilling Prichard Cup contest at Shore Road, holding their nerve late to claim a hard-fought 15-run victory.

After being sent in to bat, Takapuna pieced together a steady innings built around key contributions from the middle order. Arlene Kelly, the former Hearts all-rounder now representing Ireland, top-scored with 45 from 49 balls, while Olivia Anderson impressed with 40 off 62 against her former club. Parnell’s bowlers shared the wickets evenly, with Nicola Clayton leading the way with a tidy 3/27.

Chasing 193 for victory, Parnell were anchored by a superb innings from number three batter Ella Drumm, who compiled a composed 85 from 98 deliveries to keep her side in contention throughout. However, Takapuna’s fielding proved decisive — three runouts and disciplined bowling, including Leah Watton’s economical 2/20 from eight overs, helped close out the match just in time.

The result gives Takapuna a valuable early win in the Prichard Cup, while Parnell can take heart from a strong showing led by Drumm’s standout knock.

North Shore Premier Women vs. Howick Pakuranga Premier Women

Devonport Domain, Howick Pakuranga 113/4 (H Topp 42, J Penfold 39, I Watson 3/25) beat North Shore 112 (R Jeory Reynolds 37, M Downes 1/10) by 6 wickets

Howick Pakuranga claimed a confident six-wicket win over North Shore in their Prichard Cup fixture at Devonport Domain, chasing down the target with nearly half their overs to spare.

Batting first after winning the toss, North Shore struggled to gain momentum against a disciplined Howick Pakuranga attack. Raiha Jeory Reynolds provided resistance in the middle order with a composed 37 off 54 balls, supported by Kayla van Spall’s patient 22 from 74. The visiting bowlers shared the wickets evenly, with Marama Downes the most economical, returning 1/10 from seven tight overs.

In reply, Howick Pakuranga made steady progress toward their modest target. Opener Holly Topp laid the platform with 42 from 56, before Josie Penfold guided the chase home with an unbeaten 39 off 31 deliveries. Isabella Watson impressed with the new ball for North Shore, claiming 3/25, but her efforts couldn’t prevent Howick Pakuranga from cruising to victory in the 21st over.

A well-rounded performance from Howick Pakuranga saw them collect valuable early points in their Prichard Cup campaign.

Article added: Monday 03 November 2025