David Fulton outshines older brother

David Fulton stepped out of the giant shadow cast by his older and taller brother, Peter, striking an unbeaten 140 as Canterbury Country maintained a front-running role in the premier grade men's club one-day cricket championship on Saturday.

Fulton's fine innings from 136 balls set Country up for their fourth win from six rounds as they dominated Riccarton by 40 runs at Rangiora.

Although the 50-over competition now takes a break until the final three rounds are completed, Country is well placed to reach the semifinals alongside unbeaten East-Shirley and Burnside-West University, which, like Country, have sustained only one loss.

Country amassed 306 for four batting first, showing that the Mainpower Oval pitch is coming along nicely in preparation for Canterbury's first home provincial match next week.

While Peter Fulton was out for two the younger Fulton took centre stage with a commanding innings and he found an able ally in Liam Bartholomeusz as they poured on an unbroken stand of 126 for the fifth wicket in just 66 balls. Fulton stroked 16 fours while Bartholomeusz blasted 57 from 35 balls with five fours and three sixes. Country rattled on 184 runs in the final 20 overs after being 122 for two at the 30-over mark.

Riccarton also enjoyed the splendid surface to post 266 with half-centuries from Paul Miller (85 from 117 balls) and Chris Mugford 59 from 47 balls) keeping them competitive. However, Shanan Stewart was dismissed for a duck and maintaining the six an over pace proved too tough.

Fulton was not the only big run-getter on the day with the Papps brothers, Michael and Tim, sharing their biggest stand at senior level, according to proud father and East-Shirley scorer Terry – an unbroken 244 against Old Boys-Collegians at Burwood Park.

The visitors might have expected their 240 to have been quite challenging but they did not reckon on the Papps' putting on a virtuoso performance.

Michael outscored his usually quicker scoring sibling to finish unbeaten on 139 and he raised the winning runs with his 21st four while also striking two sixes. Tim hit seven fours and three sixes as they controlled the tempo and scored the winning runs on the 45th over.

Old Boys-Collegians looked on target for bigger things with Corey Anderson (44) Logan van Beek (63) and Joel Abraham (73) all getting well under way, but Craig McMillan took out the middle to lower order with five wickets including three leg before decisions and the visitors were dismissed in the 48th over.

Burnside-West maintained their playoff chances with an unexpectedly easy 82-run win over national club champion Lancaster Park-Woolston at Burnside Park.

The home side posted 187 for seven after being sent in. Opener Tom Latham's controlled 53 from 86 balls was followed by an effective stand worth 49 between Ryan Cutts and Nathan Astle.

Troy Scanlon was again among the wickets for LPW and along with fellow medium pacer Gerry Snyman they took five of the seven to fall.

However, LPW lost captain Andrew Ellis without scoring in the over which set the trend for the innings as they crashed to 34 for seven. All-rounder Sam Noster was the chief destroyer with four for 13 from 6.1 overs.

Opener Keryn Ambler batted through the innings for 40 until he was the last out and the best partnership was the 44 put on for the final wicket.

St Albans kept their slim hopes of making the first four with a second successive win over Sydenham at Hagley No1.

On a two-paced surface St Albans had to graft to reach 183 for seven with 114 coming from the final 20 overs after the first 30 yielded just 69.

Sydenham struggled to get a substantial innings together as the St Albans medium pace attack led by Michael Davidson held a measure of control.