Wairau extend lead despite early jitters

Wairau escaped from Horton Park on Saturday with a 52-run win over Wairau Valley and extended their lead at the top of the Grove Tavern two-day cricket championship.

In a match in which there were two dramatic batting collapses, Wairau's 141 proved too much for Valley, who could muster only 89 in reply.

On the No2 pitch, second-placed Celtic produced the day's best batting display, reaching 225 for six, but had to settle for a winning draw against Academy.

Wairau looked poised for a big total at 110 for one in the 30th over, in the first of the season's English rules matches, with Andrew McCaa and Michael Hood both set.

However, a top-class slip catch from Nick Allen off the bowling of Nick d'Auvergne dismissed McCaa for 44, breaking a 106-run stand, and Wairau never recovered, the final nine wickets falling for 31 runs.

A pinpoint boundary throw from Ryan Bishell ran out Hood (67) eight runs later and the wheels fell off Wairau.

On a pitch that was holding up and taking turn, Valley spin twins Ed Gilhooly and d'Auvergne did most of the damage, although often it was poor technique letting the batsmen down.

Jonny Nicholls and George Millar both came and went with the score still at 118.

Colin Wood and Ben Stark took the score to 131, before Wood attempted an ambitious shot down the ground off Gilhooly and was smartly stumped by Gavin Morrison.

The Wairau tail offered little resistance, as Gilhooly finished with 4-47 off 18 consecutive overs, while d'Auvergne proved particularly difficult to get away with 3-23 off 13.

Faced with an achievable chase, Valley made a promising start despite a fiery opening spell from Wairau quick Wade Cornelius.

Valley lost Ryan Bishell (4), caught in the gully by Stark off Josh Heath, with the score at five, but Greg Stretch and Tim Abrahams saw off the new ball in taking the score to 48.

Recently returned from university, Stark made an inauspicious start to the season at the bowling crease, with his first over dispatched for 13 runs.

However, the tables quickly turned as he had Stretch caught behind by Wood for 11 off the first ball of his second over.

In his next over, he bowled Abrahams for 32, then added the scalps of Morrison and Allen to give him wickets in four consecutive overs and reduce Valley to 54 for six.

Harris picked up two wickets, while Heath added another two, as Valley meekly succumbed.

Gilhooly was last man out for a patient 14, brilliantly caught one-handed by Hood as he attempted to cut behind point.

Stark finished with 4-30, while Heath claimed 3-21 and Harris 2-4, while Wood took five catches in a top Wairau fielding effort.

A defiant 76 not out from Academy captain Ben Wheeler denied Celtic an outright win.

Chasing 225, Academy were reduced to 22 for three before Wheeler and Landon Neal (25) added 87 and saw their side reach 135 for six when time ran out.

Academy's innings made a shaky start when Greg Hegglun bowled Brendon Diamanti for 17 with the total at the same score.

Andrew Courtney (3) followed at 21 and when Matt Wills was run out without scoring a run later Academy were in trouble.

However, Wheeler and Neal set about batting out the required 50 overs. While the run rate seldom ticked above three an over, the duo usually looked comfortable, with Wheeler not offering a chance.

Neal was eventually bowled by Jerrym Lamb.

While Gareth Weaver (11) and Mark Gear (0) followed cheaply, Academy easily saw out the remaining overs.

Hegglun and Lamb both finished with two wickets for Celtic.

Earlier, a patient 62 from Lamb and hard-hit unbeaten 42 from Andy Fitzpatrick provided the backbone of Celtic's innings.

Looking to bat out the maximum allowed 60 overs, Celtic had a few concerns at 69 for three.

However, Lamb and Clay Wilson (19) produced a steadying 74-run partnership over 23 overs.

While both left in quick succession, the platform was set for Fitzpatrick and Greg Knowles (24) to lift the tempo, adding 67 in the next 13 overs.

Mark Gear was the most successful Academy bowler with 3-36, while Chris Pope bowled tightly throughout the innings, taking 1-15 off 10 overs.