One sided results as Car Company Stoke Nayland all but secure title
All three matches in the NCA 110 over club cricket competition resulted in comfortable victories. With just one match left to play (on 15 February) Car Company Stoke Nayland, barring a miracle, have pretty much already locked in the title.
Car Company Stoke Nayland v Nelson College
A consistent batting display by Car Company Stoke Nayland ensured that they compiled a respectable 212 for nine declared in 54 overs against Nelson College at Marsden Rec. First opener Darius Skeaping and then Chris Dittmer, Dylan Eginton and Ben Homan all produced meaningful performances against the schoolboy bowling attack. Eginton has been in very good batting form of late and his innings was the standout. There were a bevy of useful partnerships as the experienced home batsmen applied continuous pressure on the young bowling attack. Will Bixley and Ronan Restieaux claimed a couple of scalps each, but the pick of the bowlers was off spinner Mason Lund. He grabbed four wickets through a combination of guile and accuracy.
The Stoke Nayland bowlers were able to exploit a lot more life in the track than the College had as they dismantled the schoolboy batting line up. At the top of the order Jack Morris was stoic in defence but wickets tumbled too often for their liking. All the bowlers had their moments with seamers Ben Homan and Billy Guyton picking up useful wickets and spinner Liam Clark finishing the innings off quickly.
Car Company Stoke Nayland 212/9 dec. Darius Skeaping 55, Dylan Eginton 55, Chris Dittmer 41, Ben Homan 22, Mason Lund 4/51, Will Bixley 2/29. Ronan Restieaux 2/36
Nelson College 85 Jack Morris 23, Ben Homan 3/15, Liam Clark 2/2, Billy Guyton 2/11
Car Company Stoke Nayland won by 127 runs
Wakatu v Wanderers/Motueka
A solid team performance by Wakatu allowed them to comfortably ease past Wanderers/Motueka at Victory Square. Damian Aitken continued his breakout season with the ball as he dominated by claiming four wickets. Veteran Dave Leonard had looked assured for the combined team and was playing some aesthetically pleasing shots in partnership with young Alex Brogan. Once Leonard was needlessly run out however things took a turn for the worse. First Aitken and then the reliable Matthew O’sullivan and Campbell McLean picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Wakatu were never worried chasing down the total in just the 27th over. Mason Robinson anchored the chase with a tidily compiled half century, Brad Smith smote a quick fire twenty and ever reliable McLean almost sailed the ship home.
Wanderers/Motueka 126 David Leonard 23, Alex Brogan 21, Chris Hensley 20, Damian Aitken 4/14, Matthew O’sullivan 3/32, Campbell McLean 2/20
Wakatu 130/4 Mason Robinson 53*, Brad Smith 22, Campbell McLean 21
Wakatu won by 6 wickets
WTTU v ACOB
ACOB’s total of 196 seemed to be about par for the course at Jubilee Park against WTTU. BJ Barnett opened the batting and appeared in a hurry. While he gave ACOB a rollicking start his knock was short and sweet. There were a number of useful contributions, but nobody really dug in for the long haul. Matthew Grimes was gritty at number nine and the final three wickets all produced significant contributions. Likewise, the WTTU bowling toiled away without anybody tearing the innings apart. Tom Cross picked up four wickets and Jack Aldridge produced a tidy seven over spell which yielded three wickets for just eight runs.
WTTU though made a mockery of the total as they eased to the victory in the 48th over and with eight overs and seven wickets to spare. Cross begun the chase in his trademark flamboyant manner and there was no looking back. Fellow opener Jack Aldridge provided an able allie as he batted in a controlled manner. Andrew Drummond and Mason Thelin were both undefeated as the home team eased to the target on the back of three very good partnerships. WTTU had been struggling a little bit of late, so they will take some heart out of this solid all-round performance.
ACOB 196 Matthew Grimes 25, BJ Barnett 23, Tom Cross 4/61, Jack Aldridge 3/8
WTTU 197/3 Jack Aldridge 63, Tom Cross 54, Andrew Drummond 45*, Mason Thelin 31*, Josh Simpson 2/43
WTTU won by 7 wickets
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