JONATHAN CAMERON/Taranaki Daily News
IN-COMING: New Plymouth Old Boys fast bowler Riley McGregor winds up to deliver during a Taranaki premier grade cricket match against Woodleigh at New Plymouth's Western Park. Old Boys won the match outright.
It boiled down to two teams chasing one spot, with both sides thinking outright points were needed to book a place in the Taranaki premier grade cricket semifinals.
In the end, neither Hawera United nor New Plymouth Marist United managed outright wins, but it was the South Taranaki side that made it through to next weekend's top-four playoffs.
Hawera United will now play top qualifier Inglewood at Karo Park in one semifinal, with New Plymouth Old Boys at home at Western Park to Woodleigh in the other.
Hawera booked its semifinal spot courtesy of a first-innings win over Francis Douglas Memorial College at the school ground.
After amassing 343-4 declared on day one, Hawera was always in the box seat. Francis Douglas, which had an outside chance of making the playoffs, resumed its first innings at 142-7 and added another 66 runs to be all out for 208. Following on, Francis Douglas put up some stubborn resistance, recovering from 125-5 to battle through to 285.
Needing 151 to win off 13 overs, Hawera lost three quick wickets as the run rate escalated. It shut up shop at 44-4 with six overs remaining.
There was some drama late in the day with the school side's Mark Wales on a hat-trick after dismissing Heath Chittenden and then Kolyn Tai first ball. But Robert Northcott survived the next delivery.
Best of the school batsmen in the second innings were G. J. Pike with 56, Kurt Leuthart 48 and Blake Barrett – in his first premier grade game – scoring 51. Matt Kelbrick and Matt Pease both picked up four-wicket bags for Hawera.
Across at Lynmouth Park, Marist United resumed at 160-4 and quickly added 86 runs to lead New Plymouth Boys' High School by 81 runs.
But that was as good as it got for the home team, with the Boys' High batsmen finding no demons in a perfect batting strip to end the day at 221-7.
Leading the way for Boys' High was Kane Robertson with 48, William Young 57 and John Dickson 35. Earlier for United, Ryan Fleming went from his overnight score of 68 not out to make 85.
Inglewood made short work of its game against Stratford in Inglewood.
The game was all over by 2pm, with Inglewood pocketing the outright points after an innings and 36-run win.
Resuming at 74-5 in reply to Inglewood's 239, a depleted Stratford side was rolled for 129 with only Luke Gould registering a score of note with 39.
Making matters worse for Stratford was an elbow injury to Peter Leitch, who ducked into a delivery and was given out lbw for nine.
With Leitch unable to bat in the second innings, it left Stratford with only eight batsmen and the side crumbled to be all out for 75. Opener Jason Rinaldi did his best with a well-hit 36, but he lacked support.
Best of the Inglewood bowlers in the second innings were Cole Brown with 4-13 and Rob McLeod 3-11. Brown finished with matches figures of 8-49 after taking 4-36 in the first innings.
In the remaining game, Old Boys resumed at 251-6 against Woodleigh and made it through to 367. Brad Fale went from 78 not out to 108, with Nicky Taylor scoring 80. For Woodleigh, David Collingwood picked up another two wickets to finish with 6-94, while Central Districts rep Andrew Mason bowled 10 overs, taking 2-16.
Woodleigh, after making 134 batting first on day one, managed 208 in its second innings thanks mainly to a ninth-wicket stand of 78 between Simon Bird (54) and Joe van Wynberg (32). The pick of the Old Boys bowlers were Jamie Watkins (5-25) and Bevan Seddon (4-60).
