The finalists in the Expert Turf Red-Ball Premier Grade Championship and Plate divisions have been found
17 Mar 2025
The finalists in the Expert Turf Red-Ball Premier Grade Championship and Plate divisions have been found.
This Saturday and Sunday, Stumble Inn Woodleigh will host Civil Quarries Inglewood in the Plate Division after both sides were comfortable first innings winners over the weekend gone.
Meanwhile in the Championship Division, familiar foes Nag N Noggin NPMU and Merit RV NPOB will square off once again after contrasting weekends on the pitch. The Championship final will be played on Pukekura Park over three days from March 28-30, following the final Hawke Cup challenge of the season this weekend.
In the Plate Division, Woodleigh and Inglewood were comfortably in charge of their matches against NPBHS and Whitaker Civil FDMC from the outset.
With games played over the Saturday and Sunday, Woodleigh chose to bowl against FDMC and dismissed the school side for 161. Shaun Sullivan was the pick of the bowlers taking 6/50, while Jack Rangiwahia made a well-taken 50.
Captain Sullivan then backed up his efforts with the ball with the bat, hitting 104 as Woodleigh worked through to 299/7 before the captains shook hands.
At Karo Park, NPBHS won the toss and chose to bat, but were bundled out for just 124. Jackson Sleep top-scored with 22, while Brent Stevens took 3/27 with the ball for Inglewood. The home side had little trouble cruising past the tally and finishing on 293 with half centuries to Aaron Taylor (79), Bailey Wisnewski (53) and Tyla Judson (66). Lorcan Honeyfield picked up 4/93 for Boys High. NPBHS were 11/0 when rain arrived and the game was called.
The Championship Division was very evenly poised going into the final round with three teams vying for the two final slots.
In the end, NPMU have gone through in pole position, just two points ahead of NPOB, after Stratford upset the season’s one day and T20 champions at Victoria Park. NPOB were too good for Metcalfe Real Estate Hawera, who finished what has been a strong season with a poor performance at Western Park.
In Stratford, NPMU were sent into bat but would have been reasonably happy with 266 built off half centuries to Michael Blanks (57) and Daniel Bernet (69). Liam Muggeridge took 4/72 off 25 overs.
But that wasn’t Muggeridge’s biggest contribution to the game. The Taranaki batsman combined with Jamie Ingram for a monster 174-run third wicket partnership that carried Stratford to within sight of the win. Even once Ingram departed for 77, Muggeridge stuck around and got his side home. His was the last wicket to fall, for 126, at which point the captain’s shook hands. It was a strong finish to a year that has seen Stratford compete in the semifinals of both the one day and T20 championships, as well as earn a place in the Top 4 Championship red-ball division.
At Western Park, both sides had everything to play for in what was effectively a semifinal match. NPOB were sent in by the visitors and opener Josh Borrell made them pay – hitting a fine 135, in a string of partnerships with Jamie Watkins (32), Ben Mitchell (40) and Jordan Gard (33 not out).
At 250/4, and with bonus points key for a come from behind spot in the final, NPOB declared, having allowed Hawera to only collect one bonus point to their own three batting points. NPOB quicks Ben Frewin and Jarrod Ritson then proceeded to rip through the Hawera lineup, and the visitors were teetering at 107/7 at the close of day one. Day two saw them work through to 163, with Trent McGrath making 51 not out and debutant Jeff Mafoe smacking 43. But with Frewin (3/25) and Ritson (4/37) mopping up the tail, the game and the place in the final was Old Boys’, who were 63/1 in their second innings when proceedings came to an early end.
Best of luck to our grand finalists for their games over the coming two weekends.
Full match details can be found here at Play HQ:
