A memorable weekend for Easts all-rounder

Not a bad weekend for Ricky Joseph.

The young Eastern Suburbs all-rounder made a mess of Onslow's batting lineup on day one of a Pearce Cup two-dayer on Saturday and then cleaned up his team-mates at Manor Park golf course yesterday.

Joseph took career-best figures of 7-28 from 12.4 overs as Onslow were shot out for just 59 at Kilbirnie Park.

Eight Onslow batsmen retreated to the sheds without a run to their names and eight-time defending champions Easts then navigated the new ball safely to reach 22-0 at stumps.

Only 37 overs were possible after rain delayed play till 5pm and it seems certain Easts will withstand Onslow's challenge for the Cook Shield.

After winning the toss, Joseph said Easts' English import, Danny Evans, kicked things off with the first two wickets before he started hooping his fast-mediums around in humid conditions.

"I can't complain with that," Joseph said.

"Danny took two wickets in the first five balls and then I managed to get amongst it as well. It was swinging heaps. We had a bit of a shocker last week [losing two Twenty20s and a one-dayer]. We were pretty bad so we were really determined to hit back hard and we did."

Easts (27 points) are third behind Karori (29) and North City (28) but are now set to steal a march on their rivals as no play was possible in the match-up between the top two teams.

"That's quite helpful for us really," Joseph said.

"It was good, our umpires this week were quite determined to get out there. It helps if you've got umpires that want to play cricket. Onslow were quite keen to play, we were quite keen to play so everyone there had the right attitude."

A former Wellington under-19 captain, Joseph hoped his performance would remind selectors of his qualities after he was overlooked for an 18-man Wellington A squad.

"I don't really know where I'm at. I haven't heard anything from the selectors. But I guess if you take wickets you make it hard for them not to pick you. I'll just keep chipping away and see what happens."

In other games, Hutt District (125-3) made a slow but solid start in their 51 overs against Taita.

Fraser Colson (53) and Tim Robertson (39) shared an opening stand of 82.

University stuttered to 122-6 against Naenae Old Boys, with Colin Owens (61 not out) putting up a one-man resistance.

In the Hazlett Trophy, Petone-Riverside declared at 208-9 against Wellington College after Richard Chatfield had top-scored with 53.

Spinner Harry Wright took 3-66 from 31 miserly overs but in reply College are struggling at 41-5.

Runs were even harder to come by for Collegians and Johnsonville.

Collegians were bowled out for 98, with Barry Rhodes taking 4-36 and Sam Outtrim 4-38 but Julian Brown (3-14) then knocked the top off Johnsonville's reply (23-5).

Norths B reached 37-2 against Karori B.

- © Fairfax NZ News