Karori batsman Blundell reaches elusive century

BY TOBY ROBSON

Tom Blundell feared a nasty deja vu, but instead got his first century in senior cricket in steering Karori to an outright win over Hutt Districts on Saturday.

Rewind a few short weeks and the 19-year-old batsman was standing on the same Hutt Recreation Ground wicket block, playing against the same team when he holed out to the man on the cover boundary for an agonising 99.

"It was fresh in the mind. It might have been [the same bowler] too, I think," Blundell said yesterday.

"I actually didn't know when I got the 99 what I was on, so this time I made my team-mates tell me what I was on."

This time he managed to edge past the hundred mark, albeit with a streaky edge to third man, before eventually falling for 106 as Karori piled on 336-7, paving the way for a 10-wicket win.

"It's my first full season of seniors and my first century for Karori, so it's good to get that one out of the way," Blundell said.

"Last week I should have been run out, but this week I felt a lot better, more confident. It was a good deck and the ball was coming on well."

He had resumed on 47 not out as Karori responded to Hutt's first innings of 186, then bowled the home team out for 157 with Jarrad Sewall taking career-best figures of 7-38.

The New Zealand under-19 player is having a memorable season and admitted his part, albeit just one appearance against England in the recent World Cup, had been a major boost to his confidence.

"Getting in that team I have been really confident coming back to club cricket and getting a bat. It's huge. You do sort of feel a bit more respect [from the bowlers], it's good.

"I haven't really scored many hundreds, so it's good to get this one out of the way. Hopefully there's more to come."

Karori were the only side in the Pearce Cup to gain an outright win on Saturday and have edged closer to Pearce Cup frontrunners Eastern Suburbs.

Just four points separate the top two teams on the table after Easts could manage only first innings points against North City.

Easts reached 212 in reply to Norths' 191 with Ricky Joseph topscoring with 60 and Ili Tagaga taking 3-28 from his 18 overs.

Easts couldn't make any inroads in the second innings with Norths reaching 114-3 at the close with Sam Fairley 37 not out.

Taita gained first innings points in their Hutt Valley derby game against Naenae.

Taita reached 188 in their first turn at bat to edge 35 runs past Naenae's 153, despite Kyle Hitchman's handy 4-40.

Naenae reached 217-8 in their second innings with Mark Houghton taking 4-58 for Taita.

Onslow also got first innings points against bottom-placed University leading by 32 runs after reaching 277-8. University were 192-4 at the close of play.

In the senior competition, Petone-Riverside and Collegians had convincing wins against Taita and Wellington College respectively.

Sam Blandford took 4-41 for Petone, Luke Scully made 57 for Wellington College, while Sachin Wijewarnasooriya took 4-14 for Collegians.

In the other match in the competition on Saturday, Karori were forced to follow on against Johnsonville and were 214-8 at the close of play, saved by 56 not out from evergreen Richard Petrie.

- © Fairfax NZ News