Easts bowler keen to get cracking

BY TOBY ROBSON

Nathan Cameron's breakout cricket season just keeps getting better.

At the start of the season the Easts quick was trying his luck in the third team, thinking maybe he might give cricket a proper crack after spending the previous year in the seconds.

On Saturday he took his first five-wicket bag in senior cricket against North City as the Pearce Cup two-day competition resumed.

Now he's got his sights set on being in a premier-winning senior team. It's one of the more rapid rises in Wellington cricket.

"Yeah, I'm starting to," Cameron said yesterday when asked if he was serious about his cricketing ambitions."Now that I'm in the Pearce Cup team I want to win the championship.

"At the start of the season I was actually in the thirds, but we had a doubleheader on the first weekend and I went straight up to the seconds and now I'm in the seniors, so I guess it has [gone quite well]."

In fact, Cameron's 5-58 was the individual highlight of the latest round of Wellington premier cricket, helping Easts dismiss North City for 191 in their first innings.

He hit the stumps three times and snapped up a caught-and-bowled on a flat track to further cement his spot in the top side.

Cameron may be a hidden talent, having been in the Wellington under-19 winter training squad in his final year at Scots College in 2007. Instead of heading into the club ranks, he spent a gap year at England's Harrow School near London, coaching sports, working odd jobs and playing the occasional game for Harrow Cricket Club.

His performance on Saturday helped Easts put last Monday's one-day final loss to Karori behind them, but their rivals continue to impress in the two-day format.

Second-placed Karori were poised to take first innings points against Hutt Districts.

Hutt were all out for 186 at Karori Park with Sunnie Chan (4-57) and Lee Edwards (4-50) doing most of the damage.

Hamish Templeton scored 58 for the home side which was 167-3 at stumps with New Zealand under-19 representative Tom Blundell unbeaten on 47.

Michael Martin top scored for Norths before being run out for 59, while Easts were 93-4 in reply.

Taita's Houghton brothers, Mark and Dave, produced a family double act in the Hutt Valley derby against Naenae, taking seven wickets between them.

Third-placed Naenae were dismissed for 153 with Phil Tunnicliffe's quick-fire 64 from 84 balls the only real resistance.

Dave Houghton took 4-19 with his medium pace, while Mark claimed 3-32 with his off-spin.

Taita had their noses in front after reaching 146-6 despite Kyle Hitchman taking 4-29 for Naenae.

Daniel van der Hayden's 106 for Upper Hutt against Norths and Luke Woodcock's 100th appearance for Johnsonville were the individual highlights of the Hazlett Trophy.

Leaders Petone-Riverside were in control of their match against Taita, reaching 105-3 at the close after earlier dismissing Taita for 175.

Woodcock won't remember his milestone for his batting after being dismissed for 20, but Scott Mudgway (87) and Sam Outtrim (32) marked the occasion, their partnership of 125 setting a new record for the eighth wicket in Johnsonville's total of 284.

- © Fairfax NZ News