Robbie Speers continued his good batting form with 73no. PHOTO/FILE
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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McDonald’s Lansdowne consolidated their lead in the Umpires Cup championship with an easy seven-wicket defeat of the Rathkeale 2XI on Saturday.
Rathkeale could only manage 141-6 off their 40 overs on the Park Sportsground artificial pitch. To even get to that total was an outstanding achievement, given that the students lost their first five wickets for 23 runs.
The revival came through opener Jono Didsbury and number seven Patrick Nicholson, who each scored half-centuries in adding 108 runs for the sixth wicket.
Didsbury was eventually dismissed for 54 – a watchful innings of 120 balls which featured only one four, while Nicholson was not out on 59, from 92 balls and including four fours.
Experienced Lansdowne batter Robbie Speers put the result beyond doubt with a hard-hit, unbeaten 73 from 71 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, with the winning runs coming in the 19th over.
With two rounds to play, the win virtually guarantees Lansdowne a place in the final on March 26.
Carterton made Wairarapa Mitsubishi Greytown work hard for their win, which kept them on track for the decider.
A 65-run fifth-wicket partnership between Hugo Wakeling [35] and Corey Wilkinson [31] was the highlight of Carterton’s total of 164 on the Carrington Park artificial pitch.
Seam bowlers Tony Russo and Mike Courtman were the best of the Greytown bowlers picking up three wickets each.
Greytown made hard work of the chase, losing regular wickets with few batters able to get going.
They were 145-8 before wicketkeeper Cuong Truong [22no] and Russo [9no] saw their team home.
Greytown’s top scorer was captain Hayden Ray with 35 opening the batting, while Jack Wakeling was the best of the Carterton bowlers with 4-45.
Carterton play Rathkeale, and Greytown take on Lansdowne in the penultimate round on Saturday.
BRIEF SCORES
UMPIRES CUP
Rathkeale 141-6 [Jono Didsbury 54, Patrick Nicholson 59no; Brad Curtice 3-30] lost to McDonalds Lansdowne [Robbie Speers 73no] by seven wickets.
Carterton 164 [Hugo Wakeling 35, Corey Wilkinson 31; Tony Russo 3-39, Mike Courtman 3-36] lost to Wairarapa Mitsubishi Greytown 168-8 [Hayden Ray 35; Jack Wakeling 4-45] by two wickets.
CHAIRMAN’S CUP
Red Star 188-8 lost to Pope and Gray Greytown 189-3 by seven wickets
