Falcons win - Dolphins lose

For the fifth consecutive week, Marlborough-based teams in the Tasman Premier League cricket league notched a win and a loss.

Inconsistency has dogged both the JT Contracting Dolphins and Falcons sides as they have battled against Nelson opponents over the first stages of the top of the south competition. Both teams had registered two wins and two losses leading into this weekend, when both played at home.

This afternoon, it was the Falcons who picked up a victory, comfortably accounting for Nelson College by 75 runs on the Horton Park No 1 ground.

However, Dolphins ran into the top-of-the-table undefeated ACOB outfit and, despite a gutsy showing, went down by four wickets on the No 3 wicket.

Falcons batted first against College and, despite the early loss of Joel Lavender and Cooper Roberts, began to string some handy partnerships together. Cameron Collins (24 from 24) and Tarin Mason (38 from 57) put on 49, then Mason and Matthew Stretch pushed the score along to 97-4.

Stretch, with 11 fours and one six, held the middle of the Falcons’ innings together, reaching 81 from 80 balls before being dismissed in the 37^th over.

Tim Petrie chipped in with 21 from 29, but at 187-9 it seemed a total below 200 was in store. However, a last wicket 50-run unbroken partnership between Greg Stretch (16 from 34) and Sam Boyce (24 from 37) pushed the score to a very-competitive 237-9 when the 50^th over was completed.

Lucky Singh, who took 3-38 from 10, was the pick of the College bowlers.

College’s reply began promisingly, their openers adding 40 runs in the first 12 overs. However, Joel Lavender, making a welcome return to the bowling crease, grabbed Singh’s wicket and soon the visitors were 48-3. A 59-run fourth wicket partnership between Will Bixley (28 from 47) and Jon Routhan (52 from 83) provided hope.

But, when those two fell and the asking rate rose, College, who only fielded 10 players, struggled and were dismissed for 162 in the 46^th over.

Lavender, 2-16 from four, Petrie, 2-16 from six and Matthew Stretch, 2-18 from 7.1, were the most successful of the Falcons’ attack.

Meanwhile, on the adjoining ground, Akhil Pant provide the bulk of the Dolphins runs as they reached 197-7 in 50 overs.

Pant, hit 12 fours on his way to 82, while Cater Aitken (35 from 87) and Corey Bovey (30 from 50) were his main supporters. Mitchell Bailey, 3-35, was the chief destroyer for ACOB.

Dolphins set about defending their mediocre target in fine fashion, pace bowler Jaden Adams bowling dangerman Thomas Zohrab with the first ball of the innings. Jonty Raxworthy followed soon after, then, when Eden Pettigrew snared David Zohrab and Hunter Ruffell bowled Ronan Restieaux, the visitors were awkwardly situated at 107-5.

However, the asking rate was never an issue and a solid 56 from 83 balls by rep player James Graham saw them home in the 42nd over.

Adams was a standout with the ball, grabbing 4-42 from his 10 overs.

Twenty20 wins to Wairau and Celtic

On Friday evening the second round of the Marlborough Twenty20 competition was played.

Wairau and Celtic were the victorious sides on the night, Wairau downing Renwick by 18 runs, while Celtic edged past Marlborough Boys’ College by two wickets.

MBC batted first and scored a paltry 96-7 from their 20 overs, but made Celtic work hard for their win, ending on 100-8 in the 17^th over.

No 3 Cooper Roberts, with 23 from 41 balls was top scorer for the students, while Cater Aitken added 17 from 12 down the order.

Tristan Love, 2-12, was the only Celtic bowler to bag more than one wicket, although most were economic.

Greg Knowles continued his prolific form with a quickfire 43 from 28 balls at the top of the order before retiring hurt, which started a procession of Celtic wickets.

With their rivals sitting at 82-8, in the 15^th over, MBC had a sniff of victory, before Knowles returned to ice the deal.

Griffin Carter, 3-18, Tim Petrie, 3-23, and Luke Pannell, 2-27, all bowled four overs with economy and success.

On the other ground, Wairau scored 164-3 batting first.

Openers Joel Lavender, 59 from 44, and Tarin Mason, 60 from 56, did the damage with the bat, their 132-run partnership setting up a formidable target as all Renwick’s bowlers took some tap.

In reply, Renwick lost wickets regularly in a bid to push the score along. Joe Timms, with a swashbuckling 37 from just 13 balls, did his best to keep the runs flowing but Renwick were well short when the final ball was delivered.

Harrison Boyce’s 3-12 from four overs was the pick of the bowling Wairau figures.