By Gary Caffell
There was plenty to celebrate for Wairarapa at the Central Districts under-18 girls cricket tournament held in Whanganui.
Not only did they win the Twenty20 title but they had also had two players, all-rounder Georgia Atkinson and wicketkeeper Gemma Sims, included in the Central Districts side to attend the national under-18 tourney in Wellington next week.
A third player, Olivia Roseingrave, was named as a non-travelling reserve.
Wairarapa’s opening match in the Twenty20 competition saw them upset the strongly favoured Hawke’s Bay combination.
That win took Wairarapa through to a final against Taranaki and this time they triumphed by four wickets.
Taranaki were all out for 78 with Nikita DeCruy spearheading the Wairarapa attack with 3-12.
She was given excellent support by Kate Sims (2-12) and Olivia Roseingrave (2-2).
Wairarapa then replied with 79-6 with the major contributions coming from Sinead Barrell (21), Gemma Sims (15) and Annissa Greenlees (17).
A win over Manawatu in their opening 40-over match also augured well for Wairarapa in that section of the tourney, but they eventually lost their other three games.
In the second, not even an excellent bowling effort by Kate Sims could take Wairarapa to a win over a Taranaki.
The latter made 88-9 with Sims taking 4-10 from her six overs.
Another indifferent batting performance then led to Wairarapa losing to Hawke’s Bay.
Batting first Hawke’s Bay made 154 with Olivia Roseingrave taking 2-25 and Georgia Atkinson 2-20.
Wairarapa was then dismissed for 48, of which Gemma Sims made 19 not out and Georgia Atkinson 10.
Wairarapa then played Manawatu a second time in a 40-over fixture and this time it was Manawatu who came out on top.
Wairarapa were all out for 77 with Gemma Sims (23), Sinead Barrell (11) and Annissa Greenlees (11) making it into double figures.
Manawatu lost just three wickets in their successful chase for victory, Hattie Vincent taking 1-17, Nikita DeCruy 1-14 and Annissa Greenlees 1-3.
Three Wairarapa players, Kayarna Jones-Dennes, Elizabeth Cohr and Ocean Bartlett, will play for the Central Districts side coached by Wairarapa Korus skipper Esther Lanser at the national under-15 girls cricket tournament in Whanganui this week.
The inaugural lower North Island under-13 girls tourney will be played in Masterton over Wellington anniversary weekend.
Venues will be Queen Elizabeth Park oval and Wairarapa College.
