South Canterbury Cricket News Section

There was a mad final scramble to be in the showpiece of South Canterbury senior two-day cricket.

The final day’s play of the final round saw some bizarre scorecards on Saturday as Celtic, Star and Waimate competed for the two final spots.

Rain had limited all three matches on the first day, which meant Celtic, in particular, had to get inventive to earn an outright result against Waimate at Knottingly Park, and end Star’s season.

Waimate were short on top-players but were in the best position to at least make the final.

Despite some wobbles, the Waimate ring-ins were able to hold on for a draw against the defending champions, ensuring they would meet Star at Aorangi Oval next week.

Star themselves were not keen to force the pace in their match against Roncalli at Mountainview High School.

They took 48 overs to make 199, and while they collected first innings points after rolling Roncalli for 140, only Waimate denying Celtic was enough to secure their finals berth.

Timaru ended their frustrating season with a morale-boosting 112-run win over Temuka at Temuka Oval.

Waimate survived a determined Celtic, who were chasing an outright win in just 90 overs.

The home team took 44.2 overs to make 83 in their first innings, with only Glen Drake, Adam Polson and Jason Sew Hoy making double-figures.

Glenn Matthews and Craig Davies took three wickets each for Celtic, on a pitch which assisted Davies’ spin but not Matthews’ pace.

Celtic set out to knock off the total quickly, but the slow pitch and the logical defensive field-set of Waimate meant they declared after 14.4 overs at 59 for eight.

Drake and Alan Reid bowled all the overs for the competition leaders, with Reid finishing with four wickets while Drake’s spin nabbed three.

Waimate had to survive 45 overs while building their 24-run first innings lead.

Again, Drake and Sew Hoy made 32 and 22 respectively, as Waimate staggered to 111 for nine at the close, denying Celtic a chance to defend their title.

Sew Hoy said his side were keen to bat time and knew facing Star in the final was a much better prospect than Celtic.

Davies said the pitch did not help his side’s need to score runs quickly.

“We were trying to go out there and blaze away but the pitch just didn’t allow us to do that.”

He said he was pleased with the season, having won the one-day and Twenty20 competitions.

Davies said losing play to rain in three two-day matches proved too much to overcome.

Star played it safe against Roncalli, making the match a first innings affair.

Phil McGregor made a solid, yet sedate 45 at the top of the order, while Jack Harper added a late 46, as Star set Roncalli 200 for the first innings points.

Grant Watt took three wickets, while Daniel Dorgan and Ben Watson snared two for the school side.

Roncalli’s innings never got the momentum to chase down the total.

Ryan de Joux top-scored with just 26, and while some of their batsmen looked set to anchor the innings, they all managed to get themselves out after the hard work was done, as Roncalli fell 50 runs short.

Jeremy Lane took five for 39, while the medium-pace of Paul Arkinstall ended with four for 24.

Generous declarations made for Timaru’s win over Temuka.

Timaru declared at their first day score of 41 for two, which was quickly followed by Temuka’s decision to forfeit their first innings.

Gerald Piddock saved his best for the last match, scoring 52, while Indian-import Dhananjaya scored 65 for Timaru.

Timaru made 175 all out in their second turn at bat, and had it not been for Hayden Broker’s five for 27, it could have been more.

Temuka crumbled chasing 217 as they struggled to combat the spin of Zane Sanders who finished with four for five from six overs, as Temuka were skittled for just 104.

Timaru captain Hayden Butler described Sanders as “unplayable”.

He said having 200 runs to play with was a new experience for him as captain, but one he enjoyed.

Temuka player Kevin Teahen said his side initially had ideas of winning the match outright.

“We had to try a couple of things, and unfortunately they did not come off.”

He said a lack of player commitment, especially to training had hurt the latter part of their season, after a promising beginning.

The two-day final will be played at Aorangi Oval this weekend.

Scoresheets

Celtic Captain Craig Davies with the Senior One Day Competition Daily Freightways Trophy which was presented by SCCA Board Member Peter Scott.

The champion Celtic cricket side cruised to a five-wicket win over Waimate in the one-day final at Rockdale Rd to grab their fourth consecutive title.

Celtic were certainly the dominant side on their home ground, after a late change from a damp Aorangi Oval, but the state of the pitch did not impress the visiting captain, Jason Sewhoy.

While it certainly was not dangerous, the ball kept low and Waimate struggled to hit it off the block.

They elected to bat after winning the toss but struggled to a paltry 138 off their 45 overs.

That was never going to be enough, despite Alan Reid knocking the top off the Celtic order. Celtic, in their 19th final in a row, never looked in too much danger with their batting firepower.

Waimate opening bowler Reid gave his side some hope when he had Craig Davies back in the pavilion for a four-ball duck, after the Celtic skipper offered no shot and was adjudged leg before, without hesitation by the umpire.

Another confident appeal was turned down before the in-form Sam Carlaw joined Davies after a 10-ball duck, bowled by Reid, and Celtic were teetering at two for 10.

The problem Waimate faced was that Celtic had seven current and three former South Canterbury representatives in their side, and despite a gallant bowling effort succumbed in the 34th over.

The experienced Dan Laming steadied the ship for Celtic and was 45 not out at the end, with Matt Mealings on 13.

Opener Willie Wright made 18 while Glenn Mathews chimed in with a well composed 33.

It was, however, the Celtic bowlers who won the match, bowling a tidy line and length.

While the ball kept low, none of the Waimate batsmen were prepared to chance their arm apart from Sewhoy, who clubbed three sixes, batting at six, on his way to 45 not out.

Reid also opened the batting and doggedly hung around for 38 overs for his 30, while wickets fell around him.

The rest, however, did not threaten the scoreboard as six of Celtic’s seven bowlers grabbed a wicket.

Opening quick Matthews impressed with his effort, giving away only 10 runs from seven overs as Waimate worked at a snail’s pace.

James Laming’s nine overs cost him 12 runs while Davies chimed in with a cameo at the end, grabbing two wickets off two overs for eight runs.

After the game Sewhoy came out firing, claiming the wicket was substandard for a final and unhappy they were only advised of the change three hours before the match started.

“The pitch wasn’t up to scratch, it was pathetic. It was too wet and hard to score runs on. They (South Canterbury Cricket) should have waited and delayed it a week so we could have played on the best ground.”

Sewhoy said they had tried hard and gave themselves a chance but put down too many chances.

Celtic skipper Davies agreed the pitch was not as good as it usually was due to the the short notice but believed it was a fair contest.

“Normally you would expect a score of around 200, but it wasn’t dangerous and it was the same for both teams.

“They needed to man up and get some runs.”

South Canterbury Cricket chief executive David Fisher said it was a case of making the best of the situation.

“We inspected Aorangi and the bowlers’ run-ups made it unplayable so went down to Celtic and were happy with the pitch as it had been played on the day before and Star didn’t have any problems.

“Yes it was a bit low and slow but that is one of those things. The date had been set and we thought it was best to go ahead.”

Fisher said he felt they gave Waimate enough warning of the change of venue under the circumstances.

In the end Celtic deserved their win as they have been the dominant one-day team all season and have not lost a match when they have fielded their top side.

The one-day trophy added to their victory in the Twenty20 final but they look as if they may struggle to make the two-day final.

Scoresheet

Some random photos from the final.

Craig Davies passes previous season aggregate of 804

It was a record-breaking weekend for Celtic cricket captain Craig Davies, as the South Canterbury two-day competition entered its penultimate round.

Davies surpassed Andrew Buckingham’s record for most runs in a club season for a South Canterbury batsman, thanks to an innings of 142 not out which left his side in total command against a lacklustre Star on Saturday.

Timaru look likely to avoid the wooden spoon after a solid first day against Roncalli College at Ashbury Park 4.

Despite a five-wicket bag from Grant Watt, Roncalli will struggle to get the remaining 79 runs they need from nine overs to gain first innings points.

Alan Reids 7-39 led the Waimate attack.

Waimate were in control against Temuka at Knottingly Park. Waimate allrounder Alan Reid took seven for 39 on a day where 23 wickets fell.

As Celtic pushed for an outright win, Star were keen to keep their slender lead in the competition.

A third-wicket partnership of 47 between Todd Elliotte and George Harper threatened to give Star the upper hand, but when Harper went, and Elliotte followed for 38, it was left to the tail to scratch some runs together.

The run rate never lifted to anything threatening, and Star finished up on 137 for nine from 50 overs.

Sam Carlaw the pick of the bowlers with three for 42.

Davies lost opening partner James Laming and Willie Wright did not have much time to stay and chat with the talkative Star players as he departed for 10. Davies was joined by Dan Laming and posted a century stand. Davies passed Buckingham’s mark of 804 runs in a season, while on his way to a blazing century. Dan Laming opened his shoulders in hitting eight boundaries and four sixes.

Davies brought up his century, but Laming dragged one on to his stumps, on 85 from Jeremy Lane.

Davies struck 18 fours and two sixes on his way to an unbeaten 142 to leave his side on 263 for three at stumps.

He said it was great to pass the record, and admitted he was seeing the ball better with each game.

Roncalli had a mixed day against Timaru. Grant Watt’s five for 54, from 24 overs, gave his side hope of a good performance. What hurt was 45 extras, including 24 byes.

Timaru’s Dhananjaya Murari scored his second half century in two weeks in making 67 in bowler-friendly conditions to get his team to 187 all out.

Timaru captain Hayden Butler continued his strong form with the ball, taking three wickets. Roncalli lost six wickets before the close of play.

Roncalli captain Jacob Naylor hung tough to end the day on 48 not out, but will have to work with the tail to get the remaining 79 runs for first innings points.

The ball dominated the bat between Waimate and Temuka.

Despite being rolled for 139, Waimate were able to secure first innings points thanks to Reid’s spell of bowling.

Earlier, five for 51 from Tom McKnight had kept the brakes on Waimate, but his batsmen let his hard work go to waste.

Temuka could only manage 81 in reply, with the highest score out of either side on the day being just 28 from Waimate’s Nathan Sew Hoy.

Senior Scoresheets

Greg Hull 100 off 34 balls

HULL TON OFF 34 BALLS

Timaru senior reserve cricket player Greg Hull hit a century off 34 balls in his team’s 10-wicket win over Timaru Boys’ High School on Saturday.

Hull’s half century came up off just 14 balls. Timaru were chasing 110 for victory, and Hull successfully hit a six off the final ball to secure the century and the win. His opening partner ended on six not out.

Celtic and Waimate warmed up for their one-day final encounter with contrasting performances, in the last round of limited-overs club cricket.

Waimate was undone by an unpredictable pitch on Saturday as well as some impressive bowling from Daniel Dorgan, as Roncalli ended their limited-overs campaign with a four-wicket win.

Star used their hefty hitting power to ease to a seven-wicket win over Timaru, while Celtic assured everyone they were favourites for the final, with a five-wicket win over Temuka.

Dorgan took full toll of an Ashbury Park 6 pitch which offered uneven bounce, to tear the top off Waimate’s top-order batting.

Both teams were frustrated with the nature of the pitch.

Deliveries on a good length were popping with menace and then some kept low.

Dorgan soon had the one-day finalists three down with just four runs on the board.

Nathan Sew Hoy was deliberate in his stroke play, as wickets continued to tumble.

He decided to go hard at the ball, to try to negate the pitch.

Sew Hoy struck a brisk 38, and shared in a 40-run partnership with the emerging Theo Davidson, who made 16.

When the pair departed, Roncalli were soon back on top.

The school side had two hat-trick opportunities with both Ben Watson and Grant Watt bagging two wickets in two balls.

Waimate hoped to get to triple figures but fell two runs short, bundled out for 98 in the 25th over.

Dorgan fittingly took the last wicket to finish with a five-wicket bag.

Roncalli were 11 for three in reply, thanks to two early strikes from Alan Reid.

However, the chance of victory was dashed by a 67-run fourth-wicket stand between Jacob Naylor and Harry Millar.

Millar made batting look comfortable, as he struck boundaries when needed.

Naylor played the anchor role.

When Millar fell for 47 and Naylor for 31, Roncalli were still in a winning position.

Nathan Sew Hoy swapped the wicket-keeping gloves to bowl gentle medium-pace.

His looping first delivery, managed to lure Robbie Mulvena out of his crease, as he thought of where to hit it for six, but all he managed to do was miss it and get stumped in comical fashion.

The four-wicket win was further cause to celebrate for Roncalli who have shown they can compete in in their debut season.

Waimate captain Jason Sew Hoy said it was difficult to get any momentum with the bat.

He said the pitch was not up to senior cricket standards.

Star found their groove with the bat, albeit late in the season, as they crushed Timaru, at Ashbury Park 4.

Timaru’s innings of 161 was a par score for the competition, but it was not enough.

Their second Indian import Dan Murari delivered on his promise, in making 58, with his usual unconventional fashion.

Jeremy Lane and Craig Hinton each took three wickets for Star.

Star’s innings was book-ended by two dynamic innings.

Alex McKenzie who has been out of form all season, scored 56, opening the innings.

When he was removed by Timaru captain Hayden Butler, who was on his way to a three-wicket-haul, Todd Elliotte came out and showed he was in a hurry to finish things.

He hit 48 not out from the number five position.

The innings included nine fours and a six.

Paul Arkinstall finished on a sedate 19 not out, but held up an end, as his side got home with 17 overs to spare.

Star captain Phil McGregor said the pitch played well, and he knew the target was gettable.

“The pitch played pretty well, it was certainly a 200 [run] plus pitch, which I think we showed.”

He said poor efforts with the bat had cost his team the chance to be a part of the one-day finale, in two weeks.

Celtic swept aside Temuka, at the Temuka Oval after the home side made 173 on the back of a half century from Hayden Broker.

Broker and Kevin Teahen put up a middle-order fightback, after Temuka were wobbling at 52 for three.

Sam Carlaw and Craig Davies were dynamic with their spin-bowling, claiming seven wickets for 56 runs between them.

Scoresheets