Thu, Jan 11, 2024 12:52 PM
Peter Jones
The SBS Bank senior Twenty20 cricket competition resumed on Wednesday, with wins to table-toppers Celtic and Wairau.
Celtic met Wairau Valley on the Horton Park number three pitch and came way with a three-wicket victory in a low-scoring encounter.
Valley were asked to bat first and struggled to forge a decent partnership. Top scorer was Luke Pannell with a run-a-ball 23 while Greg Stretch added 18 and Harry Campbell 16 as they battled their way to 100-8 after 20 overs.
The consistent Celtic attack kept the pressure on throughout, Josh Poole starring with 3-7 from three overs, while Luke Holdaway claimed 2-18 from four.
Celtic also struggled at the batting crease, reaching their victory target for the loss of seven wickets in the 19th over. Poole scored 27 from 29 to show the way. Sam Boyce (2-16), Jethro Moran (2-19) and Danny Knox (2-16) were the top wicket-takers for Valley.
On the number one ground Wairau won the toss and elected to bat against Renwick. After struggling to create scoreboard momentum initially they consolidated in the middle stages on the back of an unbeaten 65 from 48 balls from Andrew McCaa, who received good support from Harry Boyce with a run-a-ball 28. Sam Young added an unbeaten 17 late in the piece to allow Wairau to register a modest 129-6 from their allotment.
Nathan Brooke-Taylor (2-8 from three) and (Rikki Bovey (1-20 from four) led the way for the Renwick attack.
Renwick made a decent start, Riki and Corey Bovey taking them through to 26 before the first wicket fell. However, the loss of six wickets for just 22 runs saw them slump to 6-48, a position from which they never recovered, despite 15 from 24 by Kirk Nicholas.
Wairau’s attack was unrelenting. Boyce grabbed 3-9 from three, McCaa 2-10 from two and Josh Alexander 2-11 from three as Renwick were bowled out for just 70 in the 18th over.
Rep side named
The Marlborough senior men’s rep side for this weekend’s Hawke Cup zone three qualifying match against Canterbury Country at Horton Park has been named.
It comprises: Nick Weaver (C), Matt Stretch, Andrew McCaa, Tom Sutherland, Josh Poole, Corey Bovey, Luke Frankland, Jaden Adams, Luke Pannell, Hunter Ruffell, Sam Boyce. Kirk Nicholas is 12th man. Play begins at 10.30am both days.