In a day better suited to ducks and dogs, Star took the opportunity to jump ahead in the senior two-day cricket competition.
In persistent drizzle, all three matches were affected by rain, but Star wasted little time in rolling Waimate for 59, in their second innings, to inflict an innings and 79-run defeat on the home team, and take their second outright win of the competition.
Star seam bowlers Craig Hinton and Jeremy Lane required just 17.4 overs to claim the nine Waimate wickets remaining, after the hosts had resumed at 15 for one.
Waimate were only able to add 44 runs to their total, as Lane ended with five for 25 and Hinton four for 24, to give the stand-in captain match figures of 10 for 56.
Hinton said the day could not have worked out better for his side.
“We spoke before the start of how important it would be to bowl a good line and hit our lengths, and for the fielders to take the few chances we created, and we managed to do that.”
Waimate captain Jason Sew Hoy took nothing away from Star’s second-day bowling effort, but admitted the wet conditions had made the pitch “a bit two-paced”, which made it difficult to play expansive shots.
At Rockdale Rd, Celtic were tormented by the weather, and some handy batting from the Timaru lower order, to be denied outright points, for the second match in a row.
Timaru held a 30-run lead with six wickets left in their second innings.
Play was delayed by an hour and forty minutes, but when it began, left-arm spinner Sam Carlaw picked up a wicket with the fifth ball of the day.
Celtic’s five-wicket man in the first innings, James Laming, was soon up to his old tricks, but not before Grant Brookland and former Geraldine player Michael King had combined to take the lead close to 100.
Laming eventually bowled both men, Brookland making a gritty 28 and King 18.
Jordan Morrow fell for five, as James’ brother, Dan, got in on the action, but a determined 30 from Josh Smallridge, batting at nine, frustrated the competition favourites, and while the tail may not have wagged, it did bat time, to make 196.
James Laming bagged five for 43, to end with match figures of 10 for 64.
Celtic were left to ponder their 126-run target from the 37 overs remaining.
They need not have worried, as the light rain got heavier and kept the players off the field, until captains Craig Davies and Hayden Butler decided to call the game off.
Davies said the draw had put them in a tough spot, having failed to capitalise on dominant first-day positions, in both rounds.
“We’re going to have to play a bit of catchup,” he said about the gap Star had created at the top of the competition.
Butler admitted his side had “got out of jail free” after a dismal display with the bat on day one.
He said being able to put a consistent starting XI on the park would be crucial to their chances for the remainder of the season.
Only 18 overs were bowled at Temuka, with Roncalli hanging on for a draw against the home team, despite being 25 for four, following-on, after the first day.
Temuka were only able to gain one further wicket. Robbie Mulvena led the Roncalli resistance, with a stubborn 25 not out.
The teams will re-focus on the one-day competition next week, while the South Canterbury representative players will be missing through Hawke Cup duty.
HONOURS BOARD
James Laming 5 for 43
Jeremy Lane 5 for 25