Valley, Renwick on a roll

Wairau Valley and Renwick continue to set the pace in the 2023-24 Marlborough division one 50-over cricket competition.

Both sides picked up victories during round four at Horton Park today, the third win of the season for both sides.

Valley made short work of cellar-dwellers Wairau, dismissing the defending champs for 101 in the 30^th over, then running down their target without losing a wicket.

The only Wairau batsman to make a stand was Sam Young, the MBC student compiling 35 from 64 balls to spare his side’s blushes after they were 7-47 at one stage. Medium-pacers Sukh Aulakh, 3-11 from five, and Sam Boyce, 3-16 from seven, were the main destroyers, while Greg Stretch picked up 2-14.

Then Aulakh and fellow opener Harry Campbell ensured there would be no nervous moments for the frontrunners, racing past Wairau’s total in 14.1 overs.

Most of the big hitting came from Aulakh, who slammed seven fours and three sixes on his way to an unbeaten 58 from 44 balls. Campbell was more circumspect, finishing not out 26, also from 44 balls.

On the number one ground, Celtic opted to bat first against Renwick and paid the price for a below-par batting effort, losing by three wickets.

Several Celtic players got a start, Tom Sutherland 37 from 62, Jaden Adams 24 from 36, Josh Poole 36 from 46 and Matt McCormick 22 from 32, but their inability to kick on and establish a really sizeable partnership hurt them, being dismissed in the 38^thover for just 160.

Renwick’s steady bowling attack can take plenty of credit. Archie Cornelius bagged 2-46 from five, Keiran Gaudin 3-19 from seven, Piers Landon-Lane 3-50 from 10 and Rikki Bovey 2-27 from eight.

A 110-run second wicket partnership between skipper Luke Frankland, 58 from 118, and Corey Bovey, 47-85, had Renwick cruising to victory at 135-1 but the loss of six wickets for just 25 runs saw Renwick’s lower order exposed as they stumbled their way to the winning post, Landon-Lane and Kirk Nicholas seeing the Green Machine home in the 48^th over.

Spinners Poole and Sutherland did the damage with the ball, claiming 2-22 and 4-21 respectively.