Falcons keep pressure on TPL leaders

The Marlborough Labour Hire Falcons continued their march towards the top of the Tasman Premier League cricket table yesterday, beating Wakatu by 83 runs in Nelson.

The Falcons are stringing a run of good results together in the top of the south competition and accounted for Wakatu in convincing fashion at Victory Square.

Batting first, an opening partnership of 74 between Chris Turkington (50 from 47) and Ben Ivory-McCullum (54 from 100) set the tone, followed by a 66-run second wicket collaboration between Ivory-McCullum and Chris Bartholomeusz (22 from 39).

No 6 batsman Tarin Mason chipped in with 29, Tom Sloan adding 26 from 18 balls later in the piece to help the Falcons to 248 before they were dismissed in the final over.

A second-wicket partnership of 68 between Brad Smith and Fergus Hughes threatened briefly to get the home side close, but when they were dismissed wickets fell regularly until Wakatu were dismissed for 165 in the 40

th

over.

The Falcons attack was persistent and miserly, Bailey Andrews-Kennedy grabbing 3-26 from nine overs and Nick Weaver 2-23 from seven. Turkington also picked up a brace.

Tom Sutherland bowled well for the Dolphins in a losing cause on Saturday. Photo Peter Jones

The news was not so good for the Marlborough Labour Hire Dolphins, playing at home on Horton Park.

They lost by a whopping 178 runs to the unbeaten ACOB side, showing little resistance with the bat as they chased ACOB’s formidable total of 251-9.

David Zohrab captured the first five Dolphins' wickets to fall. Photo Peter Jones

David Zohrab was the main destroyer, the spinner grabbing the first five wickets to fall as the Dolphins slumped to 28-5 and never recovered, being dismissed in the 29

th

over for 73.

Zohrab’s brother Thomas was ACOB’s top-scorer, the opener racking up 63 from 96 deliveries.

Josh Simpson (32 from 31 balls), David Zohrab (23 from 39), Sam Beckett (25 from 21) and Kate Gaging (20 from 33) also made handy contributions. Matt McCormick, with 3-53 from 10, Tom Sutherland (1-37 from 10) and Griffin Carter (1-13 from five) were the pick of the home side’s attack.

Meanwhile, Wairau Valley were the big movers in the senior Twenty20 competition, with two games being played last week.

On Wednesday they downed MBC, then backed that up by beating Wairau on Friday evening.

Other wins went to Celtic and Renwick, making for a tight competition with three rounds to play before the final.

Wairau Valley bowler Sam Boyce sends down another delivery at Oliver Park on Friday. Photo Peter Jones

On Wednesday, Celtic and Wairau Valley claimed comfortable victories.

Celtic accounted for Renwick by 40 runs at Horton Park. Matt McCormick, with 28 off 16 balls and 2-12 from three overs was the outstanding performer for the Green and Golds. A hard-hit 39 from Jerrym Lamb helped set up Celtic’s total of 144-6 from their 20 overs, then they held Renwick, who never recovered after being 8-3 in the fifth over, to 104-7 when stumps were pulled.

Valley scored a four-wicket win over MBC at Oliver Park. Batting first, the students stumbled to 108-7, Joel Pannell’s 37 from 38 the best contribution. Sam Boyce (2-28) and Bailey Andrews-Kennedy (3-10) were the chief destroyers.

Valley lost a couple of early wickets before 43 from 25 from Matthew Stretch set up their successful run chase. Tim Petrie with 3-23 from four overs was the pick of the MBC attack.

On Friday, Renwick bounced back to score a 38-run win over MBC at Horton Park.

A swashbuckling 71 from just 25 balls from Joe Timms, plus a run-a-ball 39 from opener Rikki Bovey, set up Renwick’s total of 160-8. Hunter Ruffell and Griffin Carter both claimed two wickets.

In reply MBC recovered after a poor start to post 122-4 from 20 overs, their run rate letting them down.

Cooper Roberts (38 from 40), Tom Leonard (28 from 37) and Ben Holdaway (32 from 16) were the pick of the MBC batters.

Cory Golding (1-11 from four) and Jacob Zillwood (2-11 from four) led the Renwick attack splendidly.

The other match, at Oliver Park, turned into a thriller, Valley getting home by two wickets.

Wairau’s total of 115-9 looked well below par, especially when Valley were 48-1 in reply. However, wickets began to fall regularly and the match came down to the final over, with Valley needing four runs with two wickets in hand.

A boundary to No 10 batsman Paul Moran sealed the deal with two balls remaining, veteran Greg Stretch, who steadied the ship with an unbeaten 22 from 22 balls, looking on from the non-striker’s end.

Earlier, opener Tim Abrahams slammed 34 from 26 deliveries to give Valley a flying start.

Chris Turkington, with 4-23, was the pick of the Wairau attack, Harry Boyce (22 from 23) their leading batsman.