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Karaka are two-day cricket champs
Written by CM Cricket Association
15 February 2010
Karaka has won the W H Taylor Shield after defeating Waiuku by an innings and 31 runs on Saturday but they had to wait five hours to make certain.
Rightfully, it was Todd McDonald who picked up the last wicket that scratched a twelve-year itch for the club and gave them a year’s ownership of the 84 year old W H Taylor Shield. It’s the third time the club has had its name on the shield, the last time was 1997/8 and grants a birthday wish in the clubs 25th anniversary year.
Weymouth are the bridesmaids, they collected their second outright win beating Papakura in the last over but the 24 points still left them seven points shy of Karaka.
Manukau, who started the round as competition leaders, wound up in third place. Brendon Read's team was in a winning position but Mark Downie put up a wall that the Manukau bowlers couldn’t penetrate and the players shook hands at 6.00 pm, five hours after Karaka had finished cleaning up Waiuku.
Pukekohe – Metro, winners of the treble last year, find themselves in the unlikely position of fourth. Papakura, who tested Weymouth on both days, ended up six points behind Pukekohe Metro and Waiuku took the unwanted wooden kitchen instrument.
This year’s championship was very tight with seven of the fifteen games ending up in outright wins.
Final Points
Karaka 73
Weymouth 66
Manukau 65
Pukekohe- Metro 50
Papakura 44
Waiuku 25
Manukau v Pukekohe- Metro(Memorial Park).
Manukau were 102/5 overnight. They built a small first inning lead thanks to some good batting by Richie Faust, Luke Glen and Jono Hickey before declaring 13 runs ahead.
Manukau left arm quick bowler Joe Samuels claimed two wickets before Pukekohe had wiped out the arrears. Samuels then had Tim Hartland on his way and the Manukau officials were about to put the champagne on ice.
However, Sam Wilkinson was still batting well and when he went Mark Downie and Mitchell Sweetman took the game out of Manukau's reach, Downie left unbeaten on 84.
Pukekohe- Metro 202/10 (Keith Raisbeck 62, Mark Downie 42, Joe Samuels 3/51, Brendon Read 3/23) and 210/7 (Mark Downie 84 no, Sam Wilkinson 53, Joe Samuels 3/19) versus Manukau City 215/7 dec (Richie Faust 69 no, Jono Hickey 50, Luke Glen 47, Mitchell Sweetman 3/74). Manukau won on the first innings.
Waiuku v Karaka(Massey Park).
Karaka only took two hours to finish the game and claim the biggest win of the competition. For Waiuku it must have felt like they turned up to a gunfight armed with a knife - all out for 65 in their second turn at the batting crease.
Todd McDonald, who at times has been a one-man highlights package for Karaka, again took the personal honours claiming five wickets for the third time in the competition.
McDonald (30) and Simon Beare, who like most of the team are part of Rosehill Colleges’ alumni, were in the last Karaka team that lifted the trophy. Beare didn’t have much to do on Saturday but it was his century on the first day that set up the win.
Waiuku 140/10 (M Jeyakumar 34, Alex Borrie 5/38, Stu Kett 3/22 and 65/10 ( Todd McDonald 5/13, Andrew Frost 3/21 versus Karaka 226/3 dec ( Simon Beare 141, Sam Kett 48). Karaka win outright by an innings and 31 runs.
Papakura v Weymouth (McLennan Park).
This match was closely contested on both days. As they did on the first day when earning first innings points, Weymouth were pushed to the last over by Papakura before recording their second outright win.
In all premier cricket Papakura and Weymouth are the only two sides not to have had a player reach the three figure milestone. And the oddity remains after any number of players from both teams had their chance to score a century over the two-days.
The day started with Papakura beginning their second innings. Stu Wood hit 80 and at lunch Shane Gadsdon was on the same score. Well set to be the team’s first century maker for the season, he was out for 82 in the first over after the lunch-break. Weymouth used eight bowlers and it was Sakit Singh and Tamati Clarke who did best with three wickets a piece.
Papakura's score of 268 in sixty overs was their best effort for the season. It gave Weymouth a chase of 241, a challenge they took on from the outset.
Matt Henderson, who is due for shoulder surgery at the end of the season, managed 81 runs, his best of the season and Tamati Clarke chimed in with 50. Weymouth got to the mark with the loss of seven wickets. The slower bowlers faired best for Papakura with Ant Niterl, Ashley Abraham and Stu Wood picking up two wickets each.
Papakura 174 (Stu Wood 83, Danny Shine 27, Sakit Singh 5/33, Sumit Agnihotri4/56) and 268/9 dec (Shane Gadsdon 82, Stu Wood 80 Sakit Singh 3/50. Tamati Clarke 3/51) versus Weymouth 201/10 (Dean Bruce 43, Sumit Agnihotri 33, Henry Gibson 3/45 and 244/7 (Matt Henderson 81, Tamati Clarke 50). An outright win to Weymouth by three wickets.
The one day competition resumes on Saturday after a 12 week remission.
With Weymouth, Karaka and Pukekohe Metro locked together as leaders the second round is well set up particularly as Karaka and Weymouth clash first up.
One-Day points after the first round Weymouth, Pukekohe - Metro and Karaka all on 8, Manukau 4, Papakura 2 and Waiuku 0.
All games start at 12 noon.
Karaka V Weymouth (Karaka Sports Complex)
Waiuku v Pukekohe Metro (Massey Park, Waiuku)
Papakura V Manukau (McLennan Park, Papakura)
For further information contact Trevor Gill Counties Manukau Cricket Assoc on 09 269 7967
