By Gary Caffell
Marist Old Boys are hoping their early success in Wairarapa Cricket’s Twenty20 cricket second grade competition is a forerunner of bigger and better things to come.
With four wins from as many matches they sit at the very top of the points table and while this is the only competition they are participating in this season they are keen to field a team in the 40-overs second grade series in 2017-18 as well as junior age group competitions.
First up in the Twenty20 Marist Old Boys despatched Lansdowne 2 by 170-8 to 125-10 and then came wins over Lansdowne 3 187-6 to 91, Carterton 197-7 to 127 and Red Star 2 in a nail biter, 196 to 194.
Highlight of the batting effort to date is the century scored by Kris Towgood while Greg Pullman made 72 in one knock and Lance Parker 69.
There has been no five wicket bag yet for the bowlers but both Keith Pullman and Scott Wilkinson had taken four wickets in a match and Ben Taylor and Mike Tocker three.
Points are: Marist Old Boys 16, Greytown 10 O’Clock Cookie 12, Red Star 2 and Lansdowne Old Boys 8, Lansdowne 2 6, Stihl Swollen 4, Lansdowne Longhandles 2, Carterton and Lansdowne 3 0.
Meanwhile the 2016 competitions for the junior secondary schools grades have been completed with the foremost competition for the colts, the Trevor Martin Trophy, ending up in a final between two Rathkeale College sides, Green and Red.
It was the third win for the Reds over the Greens and completed an unbeaten record for them.
Top scorer in this grade was Jake Young of Wairarapa College who made 293 runs at an average of 41.86, followed by Patrick Wootton, also of Wairarapa College, with 210 runs and Kate Sims from the combined secondary schoolgirls side with 173 runs.
The most successful bowler was Marek Hignett of Wairarapa College with 14 wickets at an average of 10 while both Caleb Burling (Rathkeale) and Eric Bargh (Wairarapa College) took 12 wickets apiece.
The Thursday evening Twenty20 played between seven sides, including three secondary schoolgirls first XIs, saw Kuranui College boys take the title and maintain a 100 per cent winning record in the process.
St Matthew’s first XI girls were runners-up.
Top individual performers with the bat there were Sam Silvester of Wairarapa College who scored 165 runs at an average of 18 and Wairarapa College first XI girls opener Kayarna Jones-Dennes whose 125 runs came with an impressive average of 62.50.
In the bowling stakes Wairarapa College duo Georgia Atkinson and Olivia Roseingrave starred for their girls first XI, both taking eight wickets.
The final competition for secondary school teams, including some intermediate sides, was for the Lone Star Girls Trophy and it was one of the younger sides, St Mary’s , who prevailed.
They were spearheaded by Macy Lyford who was named most valuable player for the 2016 season.
