Jacob O’Brien of Levin Old Boys shows good bowling form against Red Star on Saturday. PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV
CRICKET
JAKE BELESKI
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Red Star were beaten by the narrowest of margins in a thrilling Coastal Challenge Cup cricket match against Levin Old Boys at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton on Saturday.
The visitors won the toss and asked Red Star to bat first, and they struggled through to 170 all out in 42.4 overs.
Opener Dion Knight scored a patient 40 off 105 balls, but the regular fall of wickets at the other end had Red Star in trouble at 74-5 in the 24th over.
A couple of late cameos from Jeremy Osborne [31 off 49] and Jared Watt [19 off 14] gave the score some respectability, but it was always going to be a difficult total to defend.
Dion Sanson was the pick of the bowlers for Levin Old Boys, taking 3-19 from six economical overs.
Alex O’Malley chimed in with 3-30 from seven overs.
Rain during the lunch break meant the run chase was reduced to 33 overs, and Levin’s target was 137.
In a riveting final few overs, Red Star had chances to win the match, but Levin held their nerve to reach 139-9 from 31.4 overs and win by one wicket.
The wickets were shared across the Red Star bowlers, with Tony Russo taking 3-24 from seven overs, and Jared Watt, George Deans and Peter Sigvertsen taking two wickets apiece.
The news was much better for the other Wairarapa team in the competition, United, as they romped to an eight-wicket win over Kapiti Old Boys in Greytown.
Kapiti never got going in their innings and were eventually all out for just 79.
John Ryan [4-35] and Jacob Le Roux [4-21] did most of the damage with the ball, while the other two wickets were picked up by Gordon Reisima and Jaco Vorster respectively.
United were never troubled in their run chase, as Mark Childs [16] and Jack Forrester [15] were the only two wickets to fall.
Justin Herbert finished on 22 not out, with Robbie Speers unbeaten on 23 at the other end.
This weekend, Red Star will host St John’s Tech at Queen Elizabeth Park, and United will take on Weraroa at Greytown.
Red Star 170 all out [Dion Knight 40, Jeremy Osborne 31; Dion Sanson 3-19] lost to Levin Old Boys 139-9 [Bailey Te Tomo 51; Tony Russo 3-24] by one wicket.
Kapiti Old Boys 79 all out [Jacob Le Roux 4-21, Gordon Reisima 4-35] lost to United 80-2 [Robbie Speers 23*, Justin Herbert 22*] by eight wickets.
