Wins for Wairau and Valley

Wairau and Wairau Valley continued their push for a place in the SBS senior cricket 40-over championship final with victories in today’s third round matches.

Wairau notched a comprehensive 42-run win over leaders Celtic at Horton Park while Valley edged out Renwick by four runs in a thriller on the adjoining wicket.

Wairau posted a modest score of 142-9 batting first on the No 3 wicket. After a horror start, when they were 1-2, their innings was based around a 102-run partnership between Andrew McCaa, who ended up with a well-paced 63 from 85 balls, and opener Hunter Ruffell, who scored a patient 36 from 57 balls. Apart from the aforementioned duo none of the other Wairau batters reached double figures.

Wickets were shared around by Celtic, Liam Young claiming 3-49 from eight, Jaden Adams 2-12 from seven, while Tom Sutherland, Josh Poole and Ben Blackman grabbed one scalp each.

Celtic’s reply was in trouble from the outset. They lost Josh Poole, their top run-getter through the first two rounds, in the third over and although fellow opener Logan Robinson hung in there to score 27 he received little support. Best of the rest was No 7 Liam Young, with 22, but wickets fell too regularly for Celtic to put themselves in a position to threaten Wairau’s score.

Chief destroyer was left-armer Nick Weaver, who removed both Poole and fellow rep player Tom Sutherland, then mopped up the tail, ending with 4-16 from 5.4 overs. Baxter Croad, 2-22 from six, Tarin Mason, 2-9 from six, and Josh Alexander, with 2-17 from five, picked up the remainder of the wickets.

On the No 1 ground Wairau Valley held their nerve to ensure Renwick were left waiting for their first win of the season. Valley scored a handy 191 all out batting first, 55 from 71 balls from Luke Pannell setting the tone before Matthew Stretch, 28 from 32, Tom Leonard, 49 from 56 and Greg Stretch, 18-33, ensure the scoring momentum was maintained.

Cody Golding’s 4-22 from a full complement of eight overs led the way amid the Renwick attack.

Renwick’s top order set a strong platform for a successful run chase, openers Blair Timms, who hit 27 from 34, and Piers Landon-Lane, who top-scored with 54 from 91, getting them off to a strong start.

However, when they were dismissed the momentum slowed, despite a quick 23 from Kirk Nicholas, and they entered the final over with just one wicket in hand, needing half a dozen runs.

With Matthew Stretch bowling cleverly, Renwick fell four runs short of victory, losing their final wicket on the penultimate ball of the day.

Outstanding at the bowling crease for Valley was Sukh Aulakh, who bagged 5-22 from his eight overs, removing both Renwick openers and three of the middle order.