It was the Jake Jonas Show again as Burger King Red Star continued their strong finish to the Bidwill Cup with a comfortable first innings win over a weakened Barbarians to win the premier club championship for a third straight season.
Jonas carried on his fine form from last weekend’s representative fixture when he scored 82 and took three vital wickets, with a five-wicket bag and a half century, as Red Star dominated the competition leaders in what was a virtual final.
Red Star went into the deciding game trailing the Barbarians by three points and probably needing first innings points [eight] and to restrict the Barbarians bonus points to lift the prized trophy.
Their prospects were helped significantly with the absence of the Barbarians two key players Quinn and Ethan Childs, who were attending Quinn’s graduation at Otago University.
Batting first at Greytown, the Barbarians batters struggled on a pitch offering variable bounce, and Jonas made the most of the conditions taking 5-14 off 11 overs, including three wickets in one over. He had good support from off-spinner Trey Bidois, who relished the unpredictable surface and finished with fine figures of 3-14.
Having dismissed the Barbarians for a meagre 74, Red Star had little trouble chasing down the total to earn first innings points, and it was that man Jonas again who led the way, compiling a classy 61.
Red Star were 152-5 when the players shook hands with the championship all wrapped up.
Captain Jeremy Anderson was thrilled with the outcome given that Red Star were languishing in third place and struggling after the first two rounds, before an outright win over Lansdowne in the penultimate round gave them some hope.
“After those first two games it was looking pretty bleak,” Anderson said.
“That outright against Lansdowne was the key to it all, and if we hadn’t got that we probably wouldn’t have had a chance at all.
“We lost those first two games and it was long way away so very proud to be able to win it again.”
Red Star will now focus on the Coastal Challenge in the New Year, and Anderson is confident the team has the players to mount a strong challenge for the competition, which features clubs from Wairarapa, Whanganui, and Horowhenua-Kapiti.
Inspire Living Greytown held on for a winning draw over Lansdowne in a thriller at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval.
Greytown amassed a useful total of 203-8 declared off 47.1 overs, giving Lansdowne 52 overs to chase down the score. Going into the final over Lansdowne needed 12 to win on first innings and veteran Sanjay Patel needed one run for his century.
William Madden took five runs off the first two balls, and Patel saluted his 100 on the fourth ball, but Madden could only manage two twos to finish one run behind Greytown.
BRIEF SCORES
Barbarians 74 [Jake Jonas 5-14, Trey Bidois 3-14] lost on first innings to Red Star 152-5 [Jonas 61, Mark Steventon 26no].
Greytown 203-8 decl. [Cuong Truong 48, Hayden Ray 39; Gus Borren 6-39] had a winning draw over Lansdowne 202-8 [Sanjay Patel 100no; Tony Russo 3-25]
PROVISIONAL POINTS
Burger King Red Star 76, Barbarians 67, Inspire Living Greytown 58, and Lansdowne 34.
