Valley move into cricket lead

Wairau Valley eased their way to the top of the Marlborough division one 50-over cricket competition at Horton Park today.

After opening with a comfortable win over Wairau last weekend, Valley made short work of Renwick on the number one wicket.

Valley’s bowlers made early inroads and never let any Renwick batsman become settled at the crease as they slumped to 69 all out in the 18^th over. Liam George led the way with 5-28 from just 4.4 overs while Sam Boyce bagged 3-9 from four and Luke Pannell took 2-11 from five.

Max Armstrong’s 20 runs was top score for the Green Machine, with Lachlan Edwards contributing 15.

Valley lost a couple of early wickets in the chase, but once Matthew Stretch strode to the crease, the target was reached in just 10.5 overs.

Stretch slammed 44 from just 29 balls to propel his side to 71 for the loss of three wickets and a seven-wicket victory.

On the other ground, Celtic and Wairau met in a match that also resulted in a seven-wicket win.

This time it was Celtic who prevailed, dismissing Wairau for 145 in 38 overs, then reaching their winning target in 32 overs.

Jaden Adams had a top day, claiming 4-40 from eight overs, then scoring an unbeaten half century, Liam Young bagged 2-26 while Ben Holdaway took 2-28.

Tarin Mason, 25, Nick Weaver, 32, and Hunter Ruffell, 20, top scored for a disappointed Wairau crew after electing to bat first.

Although Holdaway and Tom Sutherland went early, a 76-run partnership between Josh Poole (42) and Adams steadied the ship then, when Poole departed, Luke Holdaway joined Adams, who finished 50 not out, to see out the match with a 57-run partnership. Luke Holdaway was unbeaten on 29 when the winning runs were struck. Weaver, 2-37 from eight, was the pick of the Wairau attack.