Cricket swings back into action
Waitakere secured a big win while the defending champion Suburbs New Lynn went down in an action packed first weekend of Auckland Club cricket.
Rare fine skies greeted teams across Auckland for the first round of Jeff Crowe Cup action with many Auckland Aces players returning to their club sides for the weekend.
It was a high scoring affair at Parrs Park with Waitakere amassing a huge 317/5 as they toppled Birkenhead by 52 runs.
Birkenhead won the toss and elected to bowl first and the Waitakere batsmen took full advantage.
Jared Challis, Ronnie Hira and Sean Chick all notched up their first half centuries of the season, Challis striking at over a run a ball at the top of the order.
The Birkenhead reply got off to the worst possible start, losing Dylan Steyn on the third ball. Akash Christian added some fast runs later in the innings, striking three sixes on his way to 53. But it wasn’t enough with Birkenhead eventually falling 52 runs short.
Waitakere face Parnell, fresh off of their narrow win over Papatoetoe, in round two from te Atatu Park at 11am.
A Graeme Beghin century headlined North Shore’s first round effort as they beat defending champs Suburbs New Lynn by five wickets.
Suburbs number three James Parslow did the bulk of the scoring for the visitors, his 65 saw the west Auckland side eventually finish on 204/8.
In reply, opening bowler Luke Devereaux claimed a couple of early scalps but this innings was all about North Shore skipper Graeme Beghin scoring a magnificent century to take his side to the brink of victory.
When he eventually departed in the 36th over, North Shore only needed 16 more runs to claim a deserved victory.
Suburbs are on the road again this weekend, they take on Cornwall, boosted by the inclusion of former Black Cap Rob Nicol, at Cornwall park. Play gets underway at 11am.