Busy times for cricketers

On Friday afternoon the Marlborough senior women’s side took on their Manawatu counterparts at Horton Park in a Twenty20 clash.

The match was effectively a trial encounter to gauge Marlborough’s strength and ability to gain entry to the Shrimpton Trophy competition in the future.

The home side gave a good account of themselves, scoring 114-7 batting first, then making Manawatu work hard to attain their winning target, the visitors reaching 116-2 in the 16th over.

Marlborough’s total was based around a couple of solid knocks. Recent recruit Megan Sandford hit 33 from 23 deliveries to provide some momentum after the home side was struggling at 3-38. Eden Pettigrew continued that surge, remaining unbeaten on 34 from 38 when the innings concluded. Carly Englefield added 18 from 24.

Pettigrew picked up an early wicket in the Manawatu innings but their classy batters had the final say, scoring at over eight runs per over to get the job done with 35 balls remaining. Pettigrew, with figures of 1-5 from three was the pick of the Marlborough attack, Sandford picking up the other wicket to fall while many of the younger players in the side excelled in the field, keen to restrict every run.

Ella Hogan, 46* from 42 and Abby Treder, 41 from 31, did the damage with the bat for the visitors, who travelled over the hill to play a double-header against Nelson at the weekend.

Marlborough: Eden Pettigrew (captain), Carli Englefield (vice-captain), Anna Booker, Fenella Cooney*, Stella Cornelius, Pania Dellarosa, Saroj Jat*, Jody Klempel, Tyler O’Donnell, Megan Sandford, Maddie Winstanley, Charlotte Brooke-Taylor*.   * on debut.

Twenty20 action

In Friday evening’s senior men’s T20 competition, Wairau and Renwick scored relatively clear-cut victories.

Wairau beat Celtic by 37 runs  while Renwick downed Wairau Valley by eight wickets.

Batting first Wairau, thanks to 26 from Andrew McCaa, 20 from Harry Boyce and an unbeaten 25 from Mike Hood, scored a modest 113-6 from their 20 over allocation. Fred Dodson claimed 2-14 from his three overs.

Celtic’s reply was all over by the 16th over, being bowled out for a mere 76.

Joel Logan got them off to a good start with 27 from 32 at the top of the order, but the wheels quickly fell off after that. Chief destroyers were Boyce with 3-27 from four, Griffin Carter with the outstanding figures of 3-8 from four, and Josh Alexander with 2-16, also from four overs.

Wairau Valley also registered a below-par total, but were unable to defend it.

Eddie Swan, 25, and 31 from Luke Pannell saw Valley amass 104-5, Renwick’s tight attack led by Piers Landon-Lane, 2-16 from four, and Akhil Bhardwaj, 2-23 from four.

Renwick passed their target in the 17th over, scoring 106-3. Corey Bovey, unbeaten on 40 from 41 balls, anchored the innings, with Rikki Bovey adding 20 and Luke Frankland chipping in with 23 not out. Pannell, 2-21 from four, and Sam Boyce, 1-8 from four, were the pick of the Valley bowlers.

40-over games

On Saturday the senior post-Xmas 40-over competition resumed, wins this week going to Wairau and Renwick.

Renwick continued their fine form, especially with the bat, to get up by 24 runs over Wairau Valley, while Wairau accounted for the Falcons by five wickets.

On the Horton Park three pitch, Renwick set Valley a hefty run chase, scoring 239-8 from their 40 overs. Opener Andrew Marshall got the ball rolling with 23 from 20, Rikki Bovey added 58 from 56, Luke Frankland top scored with 69 from 74 then Max Armstrong iced the cake with a quick 52 from 36. Sam Boyce, Luke Pannell and Greg Stretch all bagged a brace of wickets.

Valley’s reply was solid, eventually dismissed for 215 in the 39th over. Stretch, with 66 from 69 balls, led the way, Harry Campbell scoring 31 from 33, Matthew Stretch 26 from 22, Jethro Moran 20 from 34 and Jordan Alford 36 from 33.   Nathan Brooke-Taylor, Rikki and Corey Bovey all bagged three wickets apiece.

The Falcons struggled with the bat on the Horton one pitch, dismissed for 124 in the 38th over. Eddie Swan scored 22 while Kayse Holdaway compiled an unbeaten 26. Sam Young took 3-26, Griffin Carter 2-16, Hunter Ruffell 2-8 and Josh Alexander 2-22 to clip the Falcons' wings.

Opening the innings, Carter set up a successful chase with 43 from 46 balls and although Wairau lost five wickets along the way, they had things well and truly in hand. Luke Holdaway took 2-24 to lead the Falcons’ attack.

MBC quadrangular

The Marlborough Boys’ College First 11 took part in the annual quadrangular tournament in Nelson during the past week.

They won two of their three matches, retaining the Clinton Baker Trophy with a five wicket win over Rathkeale College on day one, lost heavily to Hutt International on day two then bounced back to beat arch-rivals Nelson College by 89 runs on the final day. Highlights included a superb century (107 not out) to Luke Holdaway against Rathkeale, then a five-wicket bag (5-13 from 5.4 overs) by Luke Petrie against Nelson. Ben Armstrong also chipped in with a half century against Nelson.