By Gary Caffell
It was Lansdowne who profited most when they drew their Wairarapa Cricket Bidwill Cup senior men’s cricket match with Greytown at Queen Elizabeth Park oval on Sunday.
While the match ended without either side claiming overall victory Lansdowne secured 9pts from what is labelled a “winning draw” with Greytown’s “losing draw” earning them 7pts.
An unbeaten 94-run partnership between Hayden Barrett and Alistair Bailey for the eighth wicket took Lansdowne through to 262-7 from their 55 overs.
Barrett’s 54 came from 59 balls and included five fours and two sixes while Bailey’s 35 was from 53 balls and included four fours.
Earlier Brock Price had continued his run of good form by making 59 off 57 balls (six fours and three sixes) and Jack Forrester made 45 from 62 balls (seven fours and one six).
The most successful of the Greytown bowlers was Hayden Spierling who finished with 4-42 from his 13 overs while Shane Mellor took 2-33 from 12 overs.
Greytown were 185-6 after 43 overs when stumps were drawn.
Paul Lyttle top scored with 43 from 43 balls, including five fours and one six and others to produce handy knocks were John McKenzie (36 from 47 balls including six fours), Robbie Speers ( 33 from 52 balls including seven fours) and Simon Clinton-Baker (34 from 40 balls including six fours).
Five Lansdowne bowlers secured one wicket apiece with Barrett being miserly in taking 1-6 from 5 overs.
There are now just 5pts separating the top and bottom teams in the Bidwill Cup series with Greytown leading the way on 20pts, followed by Hutt Academy 19, Red Star 16 and Lansdowne 15.
Red Star and Lansdowne will do battle at Queen Elizabeth Park oval this Saturday with Greytown hosting Hutt Academy on Sunday.
