Timaru outrun, run out by Celtic

JACOB PAGE

Celtic ran Timaru off their feet, while Timaru just ran themselves out, as defending champions Celtic won the senior twenty20 cricket final by 60 runs at Aorangi Oval last night.

A sublime 84 from Celtic captain Craig Davies was overshadowed by Timaru losing an over in their run-chase due to a slow over-rate and then an automated sprinkler system coming on during the innings break.

Celtic amassed 189 for five in their 20 overs, on the back of cameo efforts with the bat and hard-running between the wickets.

Timaru could only muster 129 all out in 15.2 overs, not helped by three bizarre run outs which all resulted from poor communication, rather than aggressive running.

Davies hit nine fours in his knock which was supported by a 73-run fourth wicket partnership with Mark Tutton who made 39.

The pair ran hard between the wickets, turning ones into twos and putting away the bad delivery when it arrived.

Timaru struggled with their rhythm at the bowling crease, with boundaries off almost every over of the innings.

Glenn Matthews was promoted up the order to No3 and hit two sixes off the bowling of Butler on his way to 25. One went into the Wett Dressed hockey turf, which caused a delay in the game.

Butler had the last laugh, getting him caught at square-leg.

After Tutton was dismissed, Davies pushed to get an unlikely 100.

He took 16 runs from the final Zane Sanders over, but was eventually caught off the bowling of Kris Howes trying to hit a six.

Sanders finished with two for 38 from four, but the spinner bowled too many short and leg-side deliveries to be a threat.

Fast bowler Abhishek Baadkar bowled without luck to finish with no wicket for 22 from his four overs.

After a 25-minute delay to dry the pitch after the sprinkler incident, Timaru started their chase of 190 in 19 overs.

A fired-up Josh Smallridge wasted little time in reaching double-figures with some lusty hitting off Matthews' opening over.

When he departed for 16, the run out started.

Dhananjaya Murari may have top-scored with 27, but his poor communication cost Timaru valuable wickets.

Josh Dick was clearly frustrated coming off the ground after being run-out for zero at the hands of Murari.

He was one of three batsmen to be run-out in the innings

Timaru had a cameo from Sanders of 25, but they lacked the one big innings or major partnership to threaten the total.

Veteran Celtic medium pacer, Dan Laming, used all of his experience to grab four for 21 from 3.2 overs, while James Blackstock took two for 27 from four overs in support to bowl Timaru out in the 16th over.

Davies said his innings came down to him showing patience at the crease.

He said the pressure his team were able to put on the Timaru boundary-riders was crucial in scoring a big total.

Butler said Celtic out-fielded his team and were too good in their running between the wickets.

- © Fairfax NZ News