Sun, Nov 14, 2021 5:18 PM

Celtic make no race of cricket final

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Peter Jones

Celtic retained their Marlborough Cricket Association one-day title in style at Horton Park this afternoon.

Although the now-traditional season-opening competition was changed from a 50-over to a 40-over format this season it made little difference to top qualifiers Celtic, who were much too strong for final rivals Wairau.

They restricted Wairau to 130-8 from their allocation, then knocked off the runs in the 18th over, for the loss of just one wicket.

Celtic, who won the toss and elected to bowl, soon had their rivals in trouble, Greg Knowles picking up the wicket of Joel Lavender, fresh off a half century the previous day, then Matt McCormick bowling fellow opener Hunter Ruffell.

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Wairau batsman Tim Petrie looks skyward after lofting the ball on the off side. Photo Peter Jones

Fraser McIntosh, who top scored with 29 from 58 balls, steadied the ship but received minimal support. Cooper Roberts stuck around for 17, Tarin Mason for 11 and Tim Petrie 16, but partnerships were hard to find, with spinners Tom Sutherland, 4-26 from eight, and Josh Poole, 1-22 from eight, controlling the middle overs. Knowles, who took 2-14 from eight, epitomised the economy and persistence of the Celtic attack.

Wairau’s only chance of getting back into the match lay with the capture of early wickets and, when Nick Weaver bowled opener Lyndon Robinson in the third over, their hopes rose.

However, Robinson’s fellow opener Knowles had other ideas. The left-hander blasted 90 runs from 62 balls, a belligerent innings that included 18 fours and one six, to ensure his side cruised to victory. Poole, with 27 from 39, proved a solid ally as Wairau’s attack was put under severe examination from the other end.

TPL games

Yesterday the second round of the Tasman Premier League was played. Marlborough-based teams the Falcons and Dolphins were in action, picking up a win and a loss.

This time around the Falcons were victorious and the Dolphins went down, after the sides experienced contrasting fortunes last weekend.

The Falcons were on the road, playing Wanderers-Motueka at Memorial Park.

In a fixture reduced to 40 overs due to a rain stoppage, they restricted the home side to 164-8, before reaching their target in the 37th over, just three wickets down.

Star of the show with the bat for Falcons was opener Joel Lavender, who carried his bat for an unbeaten 86 from 123 balls. Fraser McIntosh, 29 from 43, and Tim Petrie, 22 not out from 23 balls, were the other main contributors.

Greg Stretch, 2-11 from four overs, and Sam Boyce, 2-38 from eight, headlined the Falcons’ attack, with all six bowlers used picking up wickets.

The Dolphins hosted Stoke Nayland at Horton Park and were comprehensively outplayed.

Batting first Dolphins could only muster 76 runs, from 20.5 overs.

Although there were several interruptions for passing showers and the visiting bowlers got some pitch assistance and swing, the demise of the home side’s batting was mainly self-inflicted.

Josh Poole’s 19 was top score, only one of his fellow batsmen reaching double figures.

Jared Silvester, 4-21, and Tim O’Connor, 3-12, did most of the damage.

Despite losing a couple of early wickets, Stoke Nayland batted positively and reached their target in the 14thover, three down.

All three wickets were taken by medium pacer Jaden Adams, who was the pick of the Dolphins attack.

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