Top-tier cricket on show

The New Zealand over-50s interprovincial cricket tournament continues to produce tight, high-quality encounters.

All eight teams were in action today, the division one sides doing battle in 45-over matches at Horton Park while the division two teams squared off at Oliver Park.

The Canterbury/Otago Mainland side continue to set the pace in division one, notching their second consecutive win with a comprehensive eight wicket victory over the Auckland Cavaliers.

Local side, the Wellington/Tasman Firehawks, who impressed on day one, came out on the wrong side of a high-scoring thriller on the No 1 ground.

After setting a highly-respectable total of 321-4, the Firehawks were unable to defend it in the field, their opponents, the District Evergreens, reaching 322-8 with 15 balls remaining.

As they did in Thursday, the Firehawks profited from a century opening stand. This time Colin Owens, fresh from a century on day one, joined forces with Marlborough man Greg Stretch to put on 133 for the first wicket.

When they departed, Owens for 65 and Stretch for 54, Richard Petrie (55) and Scott McHardy (81 not out) maintained the momentum.

With Districts precariously poised at 89-4 in the 12^th over, the match was in the balance, but opener Simon Dodds had other ideas. He scored a superb 110 from 93 balls to provide the platform from which his side were able to profit. No 6 batsman Ben Warren anchored the latter part of their innings with 68.

The home side had their opportunities. When Stretch removed Dodds and McHardy picked up three late wickets they were back in the game but Districts’ batters, having maintained a solid run rate, showed cool heads and kept themselves in with a shot at making the final on Monday.

Former Marlburian Jason Campbell picked up three early wickets while opener Simon Clarke was economical.

The second match, on Horton Park 3, provided less thrills, Auckland’s score of 153 all out in the 40^th over proving no problem for the Mainlanders. They reached their target in the 33^rdover for the loss of only two wickets.

Top scorer for Auckland was Adrian Dale with 45, with former Canterbury spinner Andrew Nuttall doing most of the damage. He produced the outstanding figures of 5-18 from his nine overs, ripping through the middle order.

Otago’s reply was built around 49 from opener Craig Gibb and an unbeaten 64 from John Garry. Auckland used 10 bowlers, with Amertej Randhawa, 1-17 from six) the most effective.

At Oliver Park, Auckland successfully chased down the Mainlanders’ 250-9, reaching their target for the loss of seven wickets in the 44^th over. Tom Music, with an unbeaten 90, was the mainstay of Canterbury/Otago batting, while Stuart Jensen, 65 from 57 was to the fore in the successful run chase.

Wellington/Tasman claimed honours in the other match, beating Districts by 17 runs. Richard Calkin’s 79 allowed the home side to reach 220-5, then three wickets to Tim Hyndman and a brace to Steve Hart helped restrict the Evergreens as they came up agonisingly short with one wicket in hand.

Players get a day off tomorrow, with the third day of round-robin play on Sunday, followed by play-offs on Monday.