Marlborough cricketers beaten in Cave Cup final

The Marlborough senior men’s cricket team bowed to a familiar opponent in the final of the second-tier Cave Cup competition at the annual Chapple Cup tournament in Palmerston North at the weekend.

Marlborough began the T20 event in promising form, scoring a five-run win over Wairarapa on Friday.

In an abbreviated match, Marlborough scored 142-4 from 17 overs, loan player Bayley Latter, a former CD A rep, top scoring with 68 runs from 54 balls.

Wairarapa got close, but with the Pannell brothers leading the way, Joel snaring 2-24 from four and Luke 2-41 from three, plus loan player Dean Foxcroft grabbing 2-12 from three, they were restricted to 137-8 when their allotted overs ended. At one stage the chasing side was 101-3 in the 12^th over, so Marlborough did well to quell their momentum.

Next up on Friday was hosts and eventual winners Manawatu but the match was abandoned after 11 overs were bowled.

First up on Saturday was a clash with Horowhenua Kapiti, who were bowled out for 121 in the 20^th over. Griffin Carter claimed 3-18 from four, Latter 3-17 from 3.1 and Luke Pannell 2-16 from four to do most of the damage.

Marlborough’s chase faltered initially, being 3-41 at one stage, before Luke Holdaway, 35 not out from 38, and Lovepreet Padda, another loan player, with 47 not out from 43, steered them to 122-3 and victory with 11 balls remaining.

Their second win put Marlborough into the Cave Cup final, where they were matched against old rivals Nelson, who have got the better of Marlborough twice previously this season.

This time Nelson prevailed by 20 runs, scoring 159-6 batting first, then restricting Marlborough to 139-6 after 20 overs.

Luke Pannell, 1-13 from three and Latter, 2-25 from three, were the pick of the bowlers.

Marlborough made a good start in reply, opener Latter, 40 from 13, and Aidan Conroy, 15 from 17, putting on a 43-run opening stand.

However, after the departed it was slim pickings, Holdaway coming up with 23 from 21 and Padda 24 from 24, but the run rate was always climbing and despite only losing six wickets, Marlborough trailed by 20 when the final ball was bowled.

Meanwhile three Marlborough women’s team players were in the inaugural Te Tauihu o Te Waka side which played in the four-team Shrimpton Trophy tournament in Levin.

Eden Pettigrew, Neve Edwards and Eva Davey joined forces with their Nelson colleagues as they reached the Trophy final after beating Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki.

They again downed Taranaki in the semifinals before losing the final by seven wickets to Manawatu.