Woodleigh batsman still on form

Another ton aids Collingwood's side

ANDY JACKSON/Taranaki Daily News

OUTSIDE EDGE: New Plymouth Old Boys batsman Jamie Watkins watches the ball squirt into the gully area against Hawera United in Taranaki premier two-day cricket in Hawera on Saturday.

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Woodleigh batsman David Collingwood smashed his second century of the season on Saturday to help his side into a dominant position against premier cricket two-day competition leader Inglewood.

Playing on his home ground at Sutherland Park, Collingwood struck 123 to see Woodleigh through to 311 in its first innings.

While his innings was far from chanceless, there was plenty of quality shots in the five sixes and nine fours he struck.

The knock comes four weeks after the 28-year-old struck a whirlwind 168 against Hawera United.

It was also timely given the number of injury concerns the one-day champion is facing, including losing its captain, Hayden Whiting, with a broken jaw he suffered playing for Taranaki.

Collingwood was well supported by team-mate Moritz Hartmann, who scored 70.

Inglewood's chase for first-innings points looks like an uphill struggle after it got through to stumps at 163-5, with Hayden McIntyre top-scoring with 66.

A number of the Inglewood batsmen would have been frustrated with how they got out in near-perfect batting conditions and very much against Woodleigh's second-string bowling attack.

Defending champion New Plymouth Old Boys is in a dominant position against Hawera United in Hawera.

Batting first after losing the toss, Hawera sank to be all out for just 82 in 43.3 overs, with none of its batsman able to post a score above 20.

While there was plenty of protestations from the home side about its pitch, several batsmen were guilty of losing their wicket playing across the line instead of straight.

Old Boys found itself in early trouble chasing the modest total, however, slipping to 21-4 before Brad Fale and Joe Dravitzki righted the ship with a sensible middle-order partnership.

Fale ended his innings on 71, helping his side through to 178-8 at the close of play.

Wanganui representative batsman Tom Bruce struck his highest score in Taranaki premier cricket when he smashed an unbeaten 118 to help Stratford easily take first-innings points at home to New Plymouth Boys' High School.

The Wanganui Collegiate student struck 12 fours and two sixes as Stratford chased down Boys' High's first-innings total of 201 with the loss of just one wicket.

Bruce, who will play for Wanganui in the Chapple Cup this week, shared an unbeaten 167-run partnership with Jaden Rinaldi (64no) as Stratford ended the day on 203-1.

Boys' High batsman Kane Robinson had earlier top-scored for the school side with 88.

The remaining match, between Francis Douglas Memorial College and New Plymouth Marist United, will be played this Saturday and Sunday after the Taranaki Cricket Association granted permission for the game to be postponed.

The association's decision, believed to be mainly to allow several Marist United players to attend the IRB sevens tournament in Wellington, certainly raised a few eyebrows with a number of players around different grounds on Saturday.

- © Fairfax NZ News