© Stu Piddington Timaru Herald 13-10-08
CELTIC opened the one-day cricket season the same way they finished the last – with a win over Timaru.
The defending champions made a reasonable total of 230 but were bowled out in the 41st over.
Timaru could not take advantage of their 45 overs, bowled out for 133 in the 38th after losing wickets at regular intervals.
Celtic’s Dan Laming started the season in sublime form notching up a match-winning 95.
Laming was caught and bowled by Zane Sanders, just when his century seemed assured.
He had been given a chance just shy of 50 and made the most of it, hitting 14 fours and six as he showed a fine array of shots.
The next batsman in, Ryan de Joux, was out for a duck with second slip catching a screamer, low down, off Andrew McLachlan.
Opener Andy Scott and Laming put on 91 for the third wicket before Scott was caught behind off the bowling of Hayden Leonard for 41.
Wicket keeper Luke Taylor also played a cameo of 39, with more than half his runs in boundaries after coming in at number seven.
For Timaru the wickets were shared around their five bowlers.
Timaru’s run chase started slowly, losing wickets regularly.
The only real resistance was coming from McLauchlan with a well compiled 61, playing shots all around the wicket with some authority.
His partnership with number seven, Butler, was the only one of any substance, making 52.
McLachlan was dismissed after spooning one up Timaru.
Bowling for Celtic, Andy Scott made it a good double, grabbing a five wicket bag to go with his 41.
His wickets included Timaru’s top three scoring batsmen.
Young Sam Carlaw also grabbed two wickets on debut.
In the end it was too easy for Celtic.
It was also a one-horse race in Waimate where the hosts thrashed Temuka.
Temuka won the toss and elected to bat on Knottingley Park but never got any rhythm going.
They struggled to 108 all out after 38.4 overs with Sam Devlin snaring four wickets for 28.
The only real resistance came from Kevin Teahen with a half century and the next best scored 14.
Waimate made the chase look reasonably easy going, past Temuka’s meagre total of only two down, with Hayden Matthews scoring 59.
Temuka will no doubt be looking forward to the representative rugby season finishing to welcome back Ritchie Preston and Paul Coles.
At Geraldine, Star got their season away to a win.
The home side batted first and only English import Matthew Barnes showed any real resistance with a well compiled 87.
At one stage he hit 10 boundaries in a row in the middle of his innings before Todd Elliotte finally had him stumped.
Elliotte did the damage with the ball, grabbing four middle order scalps.
The total of 198 was competitive but Star chased it down losing only four wickets.
For Star Nathan Tubb proved he is not only a handy senior hooker in the winter but can also swing a bat scoring 51.