Rain might determine one-day finalists

BY LOGAN SAVORY

It seems it could be the rain and not any startling individual performance that will determine the 2010 Southland club cricket one-day finalists tomorrow.

Marist are set to play Appleby in one semifinal and Southland Boys' are scheduled to meet Metro in the other.

However, if the forecasters are on the money, rain is expected to limit play tomorrow, if not lead to the semifinals being abandoned altogether.

The forecast is for showers all day, with westerly gales as well, which could make it difficult to get the required 20 overs a team that constitutes a game.

If no cricket can be played tomorrow, Marist and South-land Boys' High School will advance straight to the final in a week because they finished first and second in the round-robin series.

For Appleby and Metro it would be a cruel way to end their 2009-10 season but for Marist and Boys' High, the sight of rain tomorrow would be a bad look.

The Southland Cricket Association had advised clubs early this week that games would be played on grass pitches and grass pitches only.

However, the association has since agreed to give the teams the option to play on artificial pitches if the umpires deem the grass is unsuitable or unsafe because of the wet conditions.

The Marist-Appleby clash will be played at Queens Park, while Southland Boys' and Metro will meet at Boys' High.

The Combined Country grade will also hold their semifinals tomorrow in both the top-five and bottom-six sections.

The Country grade final will be held a week later.

Waikoikoi will head into the playoffs as top seed, although little seems to separate the four teams still vying for the major prize.

Wyndale will play Appleby in one semifinal tomorrow, with both teams coming off wins in the final week of the round-robin series.

Despite being bowled out for only 100 Wyndale still managed to beat Waikaka when Scott Gutsell took seven for 18 off six overs to bowl Waikaka out for just 43.

Appleby beat Riversdale last Saturday, with Rick Rima the player to standout.

Rima scored 41 with the bat in helping get Appleby through to 199 batting first, then he took four for 20 to bowl Riversdale out for 177.

Riversdale will tomorrow play Waikoikoi, who had the bye last week.

In the Combined Country grade, Tuatapere will play Te Anau in one semifinal while Marist and Albion will square off in the other.

MATCHUPS

Senior one-day semifinals: Marist (1) v Appleby (4) at Queens Park. SBHS (2) v Metro (3) at SBHS.
Combined Country: (Top 5) Waikoikoi (1) v Riversdale (4) at Waikoikoi. Wyndale (2) v Appleby (3) at Wyndham. (Bottom 6) Tuatapere (1) v Te Anau (4) at Tuatapere. Marist (2) v Traffers Albion (3) at Marist.

- © Fairfax NZ News