Hattie Vincent, right, has been named in the Central Districts Under-19 team. PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
[email protected]
It was a mixed bag for the Southey Sayer Wairarapa Korus at the Central Districts women’s T20 championship in Levin over the weekend.
The Korus entered the two-day tournament confident of repeating last year’s effort of making the final.
However, a heavy loss to Hawke’s Bay in the first round on Saturday had them on the back foot.
The Korus never recovered from the opening bowling spell by White Fern seamer Rosemary Mair, who dismissed Melissa Hansen and Kate Sims with just four runs on the board.
A patient 30 by Central Hinds allrounder Georgia Atkinson had the Korus reach 104-8 in their 20 overs.
Of the eight wickets, four were run-outs.
Opener Margot Scouler never let the opening bowlers settle and hit 41 off 31 balls as Hawke’s Bay cruised to a nine-wicket victory in 15.2 overs.
Atkinson was in the runs again as the Korus bounced back with a 22-run victory over Whanganui on Saturday afternoon.
Atkinson hit an impressive 48 not out off 47 balls and put on 47 with Monique Rees [23] for the fourth wicket in the Korus’ total of 103-5.
Whanganui boasted three dangerous Hinds batters in Jess Watkin, and former Wairarapa players Esther Lanser and Kerry Tomlinson, but impressive bowling restricted their scoring and had Whanganui all out for 81.
Intermittent rain affected Sunday’s play with the Korus getting the worst of the conditions in both games.
In the morning game, steady drizzle started to fall at the start of the Taranaki innings, meaning the Korus had to bowl with a ball that coach Simon Roseingrave described as a ‘piece of soap’.
Openers Natalie Dodd [54] and Emily Cunningham [48] led the way for Taranaki with an opening stand of 107 off 14.5 overs, in their total of 129-3.
Captain Melissa Hansen top scored with 30 in the Korus’ reply of 113-9. Cunningham shone with the ball, claiming 3-19.
The Korus finished the tournament with a win over Nelson on the Duckworth Lewis Stern system. Opener Kate Sims led the way with 36 off 35 balls in their total off 99.
Nelson struggled against the consistent Korus’ bowling and were 28-3 after 10.2 overs when rain halted play.
Roseingrave was philosophical that the Korus failed to repeat their second placing of last year.
“The competition was a lot stronger across the teams and the rub of the green didn’t go our way with having to bowl with a wet ball in the Taranaki and Nelson games.
“We probably lacked the power hitters to put up the big scores, but Georgia [Atkinson] batted very well, and our bowling was very consistent.”
Five Korus were later named in the Central Districts Under-19 women’s team.
Rees will captain the side and is joined by Kate Sims [vice-captain], Gemma Sims, Hattie Vincent, and Ocean Bartlett.
BRIEF SCORES
Korus 104-8 [Georgia Atkinson 30; Rosemary Mair 2-12] lost to Hawke’s Bay 105-1 [Margot Scouler 41] by nine wickets.
Korus 103-5 [Georgia Atkinson 48no] beat Whanganui 81 [Kate Sims 2-11, Emma McLeod 2-8] by 22 runs
Taranaki 129-3 [Natalie Dodd 54, Emily Cunningham 48] beat Korus 113-9 [Melissa Hansen 30; Cunningham 3-19] by 16 runs
Korus 99-8 [Kate Sims 36; Sofia Kersten 4-8] beat Nelson 28-3 on DLS.
