Falcons, Dolphins chase down Nelson sides

Marlborough’s two Tasman Premier League cricket sides both scored comprehensive wins on home soil today.

The Marlborough Labour Hire Falcons beat Nelson College by seven wickets on Horton Park No 1 while the Marlborough Labour Hire Dolphins downed Wakatu by six wickets on the No 3 wicket.

Dolphins player Tom Leonard was in aggressive form.

Left arm pace bowler Nick Weaver was the Falcons’ spearhead, snaring a remarkable 7-14 from eight overs. The opening bowler bagged four wickets in his fourth over, including a hat-trick, to turn the game around. Sam Boyce picked up two cheap wickets as Nelson College were rolled for 45 in 16 overs.

Opener Finn Raxworthy, with 16, was the only College player to reach double figures.

Despite chasing such a meagre target, the home side battled early, slumping to 3-14 before skipper Matthew Stretch, with an unbeaten 35, and Tarin Mason guided them home in just the ninth over.

On the other ground, the Dolphins had to chase a larger target, but also got the job done in comfortable fashion.

Earlier, they did the damage with the ball, Joel Pannell (3-20 from seven), Jerrym Lamb (3-16 from seven) and Griffin Carter (3-9 from 4.1 overs) each claiming three wickets as the Wakatu batsmen came and went quickly following a promising 36-run opening stand. Opener Dustin Emms-Healey was top scorer with 26 as his side were dismissed for 86 in the 30th over.

The Dolphins’ run chase was steady, despite losing four wickets in the process. A hard-hit 31 from 23 balls from No 6 batsman Tom Leonard saw them get the job done in the 21st over, Kirk Nicholas the other not out batsman.

Twenty20

Meanwhile, Celtic and Wairau notched up victories when the Marlborough senior Twenty20 competition resumed on Wednesday evening.

Wairau blasted their way to a six-wicket victory over Marlborough Boys’ College on Horton Park No 3 while Celtic scored a narrow 11-run win over Wairau Valley on the No 1 ground.

Batting first, Celtic managed a mediocre 120-7 from their 20 overs, but their total proved sufficient against a Valley side who slumped to 60-6 in the 12

th

over.

A late surge, led by 28 from 27 by Michael Dillon and 23 from 17 by Sam Gillespie, almost turned the tide but the wickets continued to fall and Valley were finally dismissed for 109 in the 19

th

over.

Chief destroyer was Jerrym Lamb with 4-13 from 3.4 overs, while spinner Tom Sutherland bagged 2-14 from four.

Leading the way with the bat for Celtic was opener Josh Poole (39 from 42) and Lamb (21 from 18).

Wairau made no race of the other match, holding MBC to 107-8 from their 20 overs, then racing to victory in just 9.2 overs for the loss of four wickets.

Showing the way with the bat were openers Will Smith, who slammed 40 from 20 deliveries, and Tarin Mason (26 from 18), their 68-run opening partnership clinching the deal for Wairau.

Chris Turkington was Wairau’s main destroyer with the ball, picking up the remarkable figures of 4-13 from four overs.

MBC openers Tim Petrie (27 from 22) and Ben Ivory-McCullum (17 from 14) added 32 for the first wicket, but it was all downhill from there, only a run-a-ball unbeaten 21 from Joel Pannell enabling MBC to reach three figures.

The next T20 round is on Wednesday, January 13.

Provisional points after round five:

Renwick 12, Celtic 12, Wairau 8, MBC 4, Wairau Valley 4.