Marist out on top alone in Expert Turf premier 50-over cricket
Three crucial matchups are set to have a big impact on the shape of the top four in Expert Turf Taranaki premier cricket this weekend.
The penultimate round robin matches will feature Stratford heading south to face Metcalfe Real Estate Hawera needing a win to keep their hopes alive. Civil Quarries Inglewood face their biggest match of the season to date, when table topping Nag N’ Noggin NPMU travels to Karo Park, while Stumble Inn Woodleigh goes into a tough clash against Merit RV NPOB with plenty of confidence after two wins on the trot.
The final match of the round will have little impact on the points table, but there will be plenty of pride on the line when NPBHS First XI hosts Whitaker Civil FDMC First XI. The College side has been playing well this season and comes into the match off the back of their first win in the competition since 2021 when they defeated Hawera last week.
Played at the TSB Hub, the match was the only fifth round game not impacted by rain.
Hawera sent the College in to bat and while they had them in trouble early at 5/54, a series of good partnerships, led by Aaron Zame (53), Samule Taylor (41) and Jack Rangiwahia (36) got the visitors through to a competitive total of 180. Pick of the bowlers for Hawera was Shaun Fowler who took 3/31.
The FDMC bowling attack had Hawera in trouble from the outset of the chase. With both openers gone with the score at 8, regular wickets throughout meant FDMC remained largely in control throughout the second innings.
Hawera tailender Varun Bhardwaj (39 not out) put up a late fight, but it was too little too late as the home side fell 59 runs short. The FDMC bowlers shared the wickets fairly equally, with Samy Taylor, Tinashe Chimbambo, Jack Kelsen and Thomas Larkin all taking two.
NPBHS First XI on the other hand were dealt a tough defeat by NPOB at Western Park, in a match reduced to 45 overs per side due to early showers.
Sent into bat, partnerships began to form for the school side, but none were able to kick off, as they were dismissed for 91. Logan Hislop top-scored with 16, while Fianlay Barnes impressed with the ball against his old school side, taking 4/26 off eight overs.
NPOB made minimum fuss with the chase, losing two wickets on their way to the winning runs with Sean White top scoring with 28.
At Karo Park, weather meant the match between Inglewood and Woodleigh was reduced to a 20-over match and shifted to an artificial wicket.
Inglewood made 99 off their 20 overs and Woodleigh chased it down in the 15th over, losing just two wickets on the way, for their second win in a row to keep them in the top four race. Mitchell Proffit impressed with the bat hitting 53 not out for Woodleigh.
The final match saw Stratford play Marist at Lynmouth Park and it was tough lesson for the visitors. Dismissed for just 67, having been sent into bat, Christopher Coombe (35 not out) made the only score of note as wickets tumbled around him. It took just 10 overs for Marist to knock off the total, with opener Robson Chapman continuing a good run of form with 38 not out.
Those results leave Marist now alone at the top of the table on 22 points and the first side to lock in a playoff spot. Inglewood sits second on 17 points, but has two crucial matches with at least one win needed to cement their berth. NPOB look menacing sitting in third and will still fancy their chances of a top two finish, while Woodleigh is in fourth on 13 points.
Stratford is still in the hunt as well, on nine points, while Hawera and FDMC in sixth and seventh place on seven points could also stay alive if they can win out and other results go their way.
NPBHS is at the tail and still to register their first win.
Full scorecards, points tables and match details, including new and improved live scoring, are available here at PlayHQ.
*Meanwhile, NPOB women squared the ledger in their match against Stratford in game two of the women’s premier series at Western Park.
Having fallen to a 36-run loss in the opening match of the five-game series, NPOB won the toss and put Stratford into bat.
The decision paid dividends with Lucy Mitchell (3/16) and Anika Scott (3/9) making immediate inroads into the visitor’s batting order. Opener Jessie Hollard continued a run of good form, hitting an unbeaten 63, but it was only that innings that helped Stratford through to 102.
NPOB openers Cara Hollard (34 not out) and Cailtin Marshall got the chase off to a good start with a 50-run stand and it never looked in doubt from there, with Sophie Campbell and Charlotte Butler also chipping in to get the winning runs in the 24th over.
Game three of the series is scheduled for November 19.
