Roncalli’s English import Ed Kilbee continued to be a thorn in Timaru’s side as he led Roncalli to a six-wicket win in their South Canterbury senior two-day cricket match.
Kilbee hit his third century of the season – 101 not out – as Roncalli turned around a 21-run first innings deficit to win a match which both teams controlled at times at Ashbury Park.
In other matches, Star turned around a disastrous first day to secure a seven-wicket win over Temuka at the Temuka Oval, thanks largely to the bowling of Craig Hinton and Todd Debney.
Celtic had no problems asserting dominance over Waimate at the Celtic Sports Ground, as they cantered to a 10-wicket win, after being set 52 to win on Saturday in their second innings.
Roncalli had started the day at 139 for 7, still 44 runs behind Timaru’s first innings of 193. The left-arm spin of Zane Sanders soon mopped-up the innings for 172. He finished with 7 for 50 from his 18 overs.
Dan Murari batting for Timaru against Roncalli while keeper Barry Ward watches on closely.
Timaru’s second innings started more positively than the first.
Opener Gerald Piddock was quick to pounce on any loose bowling, and while he lost his partner, Josh Smallridge, for 12, he and Dhananjaya Murari took the score through to 62 in good time.
Just as Piddock looked set for a big score he fell to the spin of Ben Simpson for the second time in the match, caught and bowled.
Timaru soon lost two quick wickets, and Roncalli were back level, with Timaru 84 for 4.
Logan Taylor joined Murari and the pair showed good patience to take Timaru through to 142, before the 58-run stand was broken just before tea, when Taylor was bowled by Henry Race for 31.
Hayden Butler soon became Race’s second victim, trapped leg-before-wicket, but with Murari still at the crease at tea, Timaru were eying up a total in excess of 200 at 168 for 6.
Race’s antics were not slowed by the break as he and Tahir Afridi, who was now bowling left-arm spin, as opposed to his left-arm pace, took the last four wickets for just four runs.
Timaru were dismissed for 172, with Murari making 64.
It left Roncalli needing 199 to win from a minimum of 43 overs.
Race finished with 4 for 23, while Afridi’s versatility netted him 4 for 61.
Roncalli’s chase started positively, with Kilbee and Ryan de Joux going at more than five runs an over during their opening stand of 120.
De Joux threw his wicket away when he skied a simple catch from the bowling of Butler for 58.
After playing two rash shots at the previous two balls, the third brought his downfall.
Usual Timaru captain, Butler, looked to drag his side back in to a match which was slowly slipping away, and Roncalli’s schoolboy players again failed with the bat.
Simpson (1), Tom Pavletich (0) and Harry Millar (8) all fell to Butler in the space of 20 runs.
Roncalli’s other professional Tahir Afridi (27) then joined Kilbee and they added an unbeaten 61.
It was Kilbee’s afternoon, his aggressive knock, which included 10 fours and four sixes, earned him his second century of the match to go with his 109 in the first innings.
Roncalli got to the target with more than 10 overs remaining.
Butler ended with 4 for 27 from his seven overs.
Star, who were bowled out for 26 on day one, had it all their own way on day two against Temuka.
The home team were rolled for just 47 in their second innings.
Hinton took 5 for 22, while Debney took four top-order wickets as a Temuka side missing captain Kevin Teahen capitulated.
It left Star needing 90 to win, and their innings was anchored by Paul Arkinstall who made 36 not out, as they chased down the target with just three wickets down.
Celtic made light work of Waimate on the second day of their match.
Celtic had an 80-run first innings lead and were able to bowl Waimate out for 131 in their second innings.
James Blackstock took three wickets, while Hayden Matthews made 45.
The Celtic openers got the 52 required, with Mark Tutton and Willie Wright each scoring 25.