Four clubs in with a shot at two-day title

BY: ALAN APTED

The race for Counties Manukau club cricket's two-day championship has never been tighter.

With just one round to play and 24 points available to each team, any one of four clubs can win the premier championship.

Manukau have their noses in front with 51 points. They are two ahead of Karaka and nine ahead of Weymouth and Pukekohe Metro who are tied on 42 points.

But thanks to the draw it is Karaka who are best placed to win their first two-day crown in 12 years. They are away to Waiuku, the competition’s weakest team.

On paper the prospects of their scoring an outright win and bagging all 24 points are better than that of competition leaders Manukau and defending champions Pukekohe Metro who play each other at War Memorial Park in Manurewa.

Weymouth haven’t won a premiership in 15 years and need an outright win over Papakura at McLennan Park in Papakura just to be in contention.

Manukau and Pukekohe Metro were the only teams to come away with points from matches played last Saturday. The first day was washed out, effectively turning last Saturday’s second day into a one-dayer.

They managed to get a result unlike Karaka and Papakura who had to settle for a draw when rain washed out their game.

Karaka made 246 and Papakura were 93-3 when the heavens opened. Papakura had batted for only 21 overs and that wasn’t enough to constitute a match.

Simon Beare top-scored for Karaka with 123, the equal best score of the season while Papakura leg spinner Ant Niterl took 7-98, the best figures for a bowler this season.

Ash Abraham was unbeaten on 58 and Scott Allison 25 when rain ended Papakura’s run chase.

Weymouth didn’t score enough runs against Manukau and they paid the price. They were all out for 173, a score Manukau needed only three wickets to reach.

Indoor cricketer Jason Martin rescued the Weymouth innings with a top score of 70.

Vaughn Blanchard, one of two brothers in the Weymouth line-up, scored 31 and Matt Henderson 24.

Dean Sutherland 4-56 and Ivan Burrown 3-53 had the visitors’ innings in tatters.

An unbeaten 90 by Luke Glen got Manukau home for their seven-wicket win while Ashwyn Herwels 28 and Dean Giles 27 played support roles.

Sumit Agnihotri with 2-38 was Weymouth’s best bowler.

Pukekohe Metro needed just four hours and 15 overs of batting to get over Waiuku.

They bowled Waiuku out for 67 and reached 68-2 when the rain came and turned Bledisloe Park into a lake. Mat Singh took 2-2 in the Waiuku innings.

This Saturday’s draw: Waiuku v Karaka, Massey Park; Manukau v Pukekohe-Metro, War Memorial Park; and Papakura v Weymouth, McLennan Park.

Scoreboard: Karaka 246 (Simon Beare 123, Todd McDonald 32, Ant Niterl 7-98) drew with Papakura 93-3 (Ash Abraham 58no, Scott Allison 25no, Mark Dass 2-14).

Waiuku 67 (Mat Singh 2-2) lost to Pukekohe-Metro 68-2 (Sam Wilkinson 29no) by 8 wickets.

Weymouth 173 (Jason Martin 70, Vaughan Blanchard 31, Matt Henderson 24, Dean Sutherland 4-56, Ivan Burrows 3-53) lost to Manukau 174-3 (Luke Glen 90no, Ashwyn Herwels 28, Dean Giles 27, Sumit Agnihotri 2-38) by 7 wickets.

Points table: Manukau 51, Karaka 49, Weymouth 42, Pukekohe-Metro 42, Papakura 35 and Waiuku 21.

- © Fairfax NZ News