College cricketers gather for Festival event

The Marlborough Boys’ College Year Nine side hosted the annual six-team Festival of Cricket tournament at Oliver Park during the week.

On Tuesday they opened their account with a 40-over match against a powerful Christ’s College eleven. The visitors score a formidable 230 batting first, with MBC dismissed for just 98 in reply. Of note was the efforts of opener Fionn Heagney who carried his bat throughout the MBC innings, ending unbeaten on 59.

The following day MBC notched a comfortable win over Shirley Boys’ High School. Batting first, MBC made 189 all out, Billy Hurren top scoring with 55 and Heagney contributing 32 at the top of the order. Tamati de Wilde made 28 as the lower order formed some valuable partnerships. In reply, Shirley were dismissed for 58, MBC captain Tom Heagney claiming 4 for 18 from 4.4 overs.

MBC’s final match was against Christchurch Boys’ High School on Thursday.

The Cantabrians batted first and scored 238-7 in sweltering conditions. Billy Hurren and Aiden Batty both picked up a brace of wickets.

MBC’s reply again fell short, being dismissed for 122 in the 32nd over. Opener Hunter Wong was the pick of the home town batters, scoring 45.

Teams from Otago Boys’ High School and Nelson College were also in attendance, with Christchurch Boys’ High School and Christ’s College completing the tournament unbeaten.

The tournament has been running for 30 years and was last hosted in Marlborough during the 2017-18 season.

T20 competition

Meanwhile, Celtic continue to show the way in the SBS Bank senior T20 competition.

In the fifth round, on Friday evening, the Green and Golds comprehensively defeated Wairau Valley by nine wickets.

Valley batted first and limped their way to 92 all out in the 17th over, despite an

Opening stand of 31, which featured top-scorer Sukh Aulakh who blasted 26 from 13 deliveries.

However, only Jassi Brar, 16 from 13, was able to offer much down the order as Celtic’s bowlers, led by Jaden Adams, 3-15 from three, and Liam Young, 3-16 from four, took control.

In reply, Celtic cruised to their target in 12.4 overs, reaching 96-1. Opener Greg Knowles scored an unbeaten 46 from just 37 deliveries, while Aiden Conroy, also unbeaten on 36 from 32, enabled Celtic to ease to an early victory.

On Horton Park three, Renwick kept their final prospects high with a four wicket win over Wairau.

Batting first, Wairau managed just 110-6, Renwick reaching their target of 113-6 in the 18th over. Josh Alexander, 31 from 28, Griffin Carter, 48 from 49, and Baxter Croad, 21 from 23, contributed the bulk of Wairau’s runs, while Archie Cornelius, 2-16 from four, was the pick of the Renwick attack.

Opener Fred Sululoto continued his prolific form, hitting 44 from 40 balls in Renwick’s run chase, with Piers Landon-Lane’s unbeaten 34 from 36 helping get the job done despite the loss of four late wickets. Croad and Andrew McCaa both grabbed a brace of wickets.

Points: Celtic 16, Wairau 12, Renwick 8, Wairau Valley 4.

Town v Country  

On Saturday, the latest round of Town v Country matches was played, this time Town coming away with a five-wicket win.

Country won the toss and elected to bat, finding the going tough against some accurate Town bowling.

Their main contributor was Corey Bovey, who scored 30 runs from 33 balls, with Nathan Brooke-Taylor, 24 from 91, Lachlan MacNeill, 23 from 64, and Luke Pannell, 20 from 61, much more sedate.

Baxter Croad, 3-15 from 8.5, Andrew McCaa, 3-39 from 19 and Griffin Carter, 2-40 from 12, were the best of the Town attack, while Luke Holdaway and Joel Lavender were equally parsimonious.

Town scored at a much quicker rate, reaching 141-5 in the 27th over, with Zariab Karkaria, 46 from 47, and Lavender, 47 not out from 57, leading the way. Archie Cornelius took 2-34 from seven overs.