Stefan Hook is very watchful on his way to his maiden century. PHOTOS/JADE CVETKOV
Sugathan’s all-round effort in vain
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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Saturday was Stefan Hook’s day as he led Burger King Red Star to their first win of the 2019-20 Coastal Challenge against old foes Jackson Street Bar Lansdowne.
Coming in at first drop Hook scored his maiden century, finishing 103 not out in Red Star’s total of 202-6. He then came on to bowl and ended any hopes of a late Lansdowne recovery, taking the final three wickets in the space of 10 balls.
Red Star won the toss and decided to bat on a pitch that was slow and holding, with inconsistent bounce.
After the early loss of Ethan Childs, who was the first of several batsmen undone by the lack of pace in the pitch, Hook and Richard French [21] added 45 runs for the second wicket.
Run scoring was slow and difficult on the dry pitch, but Red Star batted patiently, slowly building a reasonable total to defend.
Hook combined with Anthony Sprowson [23] in an 80-run fourth wicket partnership, and then put on 38 with Freeman [15] for the sixth wicket.
Hook was watchful and determined throughout his innings and he was prepared to wait for the bad ball to put away. His 103 came off 155 balls and included 11 fours.
Jon Ryan was the best of the Lansdowne bowlers, claiming four wickets for 49 runs off 10 overs with his medium pacers.
Sanjay Patel’s slow bowling proved hard to get away. He finished with 2-15 off 10 overs.
Lansdowne were confident of chasing down the 203 but were in immediate trouble with veteran Robbie Speers bowled first ball by medium pacer Peter Sigvertsen.
Lansdowne lost regular wickets, with three wickets falling to the left arm spin of Quinn Childs, and an early finish looked likely when they stumbled to 64-7 in the 19th over.
Then Jake Young and Ryan started a strong fightback, and had added 77 for the eighth wicket, giving Lansdowne a sniff of victory.
That was until Hook entered the bowling attack. He had too much pace for Young, who spooned a catch to midwicket, followed two balls later by Ryan, caught by Quinn Childs.
Young finished with 46 off 82 balls including five fours, while Ryan completed a good double with 35 off 52 balls including four fours and the only six of the match.
Hook wrapped up the innings knocking over Patel’s stumps, for a 59-run victory.
The win lifts Red Star to a mid-table position in the Coastal Challenge, while Lansdowne remain at the bottom of the table without a win.
In Saturday’s Umpires Cup matches, Auto Imports Masterton Marist took a step closer to the December 14 final, with a nine-wicket thrashing of Carterton.
Jared van Deventer, with 102 not out [85 balls, 16 fours and one six], was the star for Marist as they chased down Carterton’s total of 188-9 in 24 overs.
A brilliant all-round performance by Roshan Sugathan was not enough for Pope and Gray Greytown to secure a win over Red Star.
Sugathan scored a superb 101 not out in Greytown’s total of 209-9. He then grabbed three wickets for 24 runs, including the in-form Kenneth Sprowson for 65.
Red Star needed nine runs off the last over to win, a target they achieved with two balls to spare.
The Rathkeale v Unreal Grass Masterton Marist game was deferred until next Sunday.
BRIEF SCORES
COASTAL CHALLENGE
Burger King Red Star 202-6 [Stefan Hook 103no; Jon Ryan 4-49, Sanjay Patel 2-15] beat Jackson Street Bar Lansdowne 143 [Jake Young 46, Jon Ryan 35; Quinn Childs 3-32, Stefan Hook 3-1, Peter Sigvertsen 2-31] by 59 runs.
UMPIRES CUP
Carterton 188-9 [Graham Wilkes 36; Kris Towgood 5-42] lost to Auto Imports Masterton Marist 192-1 [Jared van Deventer 102no, Keith Pullman 44] by nine wickets.
Pope and Gray Greytown 209-9 [Roshan Sugathan 101no; Troy Burling 3-32] lost to Red Star 210-6 [Troy Burling 73, Kenneth Sprowson 65; Roshan Sugathan 3-24] by four wickets.
