Sat, Nov 27, 2021 7:13 PM
Dolphins win, Falcons lose
Peter Jones
Once again it was a win and a loss for Marlborough-based teams in the Tasman Premier League cricket competition today.
In round four action, the JT Contracting Dolphins picked up a three-wicket win over Nelson College, while the Falcons lost by 65 runs to ACOB. Both matches were played in Nelson.
Against Nelson College, Dolphins won the toss and elected to bowl, soon turning the screws on the school side. The loss of early wickets saw College reeling at 48-4 before opener Sam John and No 6 batsman Will Bixley put together a 63-run partnership for the fifth wicket. However, when Liam Young, who bagged 3-7 from 4.4 overs, removed Bixley and Tom Sloan, 2-25 from nine, took care of John there was little resistance from the lower order as College crumbled to 127 all out in the 39th over.
In reply, an opening stand of 36 between Logan Robinson, 22 from 18, and Hunter Ruffell 21 from 47, gave Dolphins a solid base and despite losing wickets steadily, they battled their way to 128-7 in the 31st over. An unbeaten 36 from 34 balls from Jerrym Lamb maintained stability, while Isaac Rawlings-Briggs added 17 not out to get the job done. Jacob Walters, 2-13, was the pick of the College attack.
Meanwhile, at the Botanics, ACOB posted a total of 184 all out in the 46th over. A well-paced 42 to opener Thomas Zohrab set the tone, with James Graham, 39 from 51, Mitchell Bailey, 28 from 45 and Reuben Smith, 24 from 15, keeping the runs flowing steadily rather than spectacularly.
Sam Boyce, with 3-26 from nine overs, led the Falcons’ attack while Nick Weaver, Cameron Collins and Tim Petrie all picked up a brace of wickets.
The Falcons’ batting, so often inconsistent, had another off day. They lost their fifth wicket with just 39 runs on the board, in the 20st over and battled from then on.
Twenty-five from No 6 batsman Matthew Stretch and 23 from pace bowler Nick Weaver added respectability to the visiting side’s score but they were well behind the asking rate and out of the game when the final wicket fell in the 42nd over with just 119 runs on the board.
Thomas and David Zohrab proved too hard for the Falcon’s batsmen to handle, bagging a brace apiece, while Bailey claimed 3-25 to secure the day’s best figures.
