Batsmen made to struggle
WHAT a difference a week makes in Wellington club cricket.
After an opening round of the 50-over Ewen Chatfield Trophy where four centuries were scored and 10 teams combined to score 2110 runs, more of the same was expected for week two as artificial pitches continued to be in use.
However, just 1255 runs were scored on Saturday, while 86 wickets were taken, nine more than in round one.
Onslow were the top scorers on the day – their 159-4 helping them cruise past Hutt District’s 154 with 16 overs to spare and push them to the top of the table on net runrate.
The two half-centuries in that game to Hutt’s Brett Johnson and Onslow’s Malcolm Nofal were the only batting milestones of the day.
The Eastern Suburbs pair of Ricky Joseph and Peter Connell were the pick of bowlers, as they each grabbed a five-wicket bag in dismissing Upper Hutt for 48.
Upper Hutt would have fancied their chances of beating the Pearce Cup champions after dismissing them for 126, with Dan Henderson taking 4-15 off 10 overs.
They made it to 35-2 after 10 overs, but suffered an almighty collapse, including losing six wickets in four runs to lose by 78 runs.
The win moved Easts to second, one spot ahead of PetoneEastbourne on run rate, who won a dramatic match against Karori.
Chasing 127, Karori made a decent start and were 52-2 after 12 overs. But steady wickets fell to leave them at 114-9. They edged their way to within one run of a tie, but Misty Jones-Middleton was dismissed to leave them one run short.
Taita got off the mark with a comfortable win over University.
Phil Tunnicliffe took 4-40 to dismiss University for 139, before contributions from opener Sam Dean and captain Mark Houghton got them across the line with four wickets and 20 overs to spare.
Collegians also got their first win of the season, chasing Johnsonville’s 117 with four wickets in hand.
The runs flowed more yesterday, at least for Wellington under19 opener Francois Swartz.
He scored an unbeaten 128 off 91 balls, including six fours and 10 sixes, to almost single-handedly chase down Naenae’s 179-9 and earn his team a nine-wicket win.
The under-19s will play Onslow today.