Southland cricket clubs Marist, Waikoikoi, and Metropolitan all earned the competition points in round 12 of the 50-over Premier League on Saturday.
Shaun Fitzgibbon scored a half century for Marist in its 10-run win over Appleby in a rain-affected match at Appleby.
Opening batsman Kris Walker scored 21 but there was little other support for him as the side lost eight wickets on the way to 142 from 43 overs.
Conner Hart was best of the Appleby bowlers, taking three for 30.
In the Appleby innings, captain Venkat Kotte (46) and Jamie Clark (19) kept the host side in the hunt but they both were caught off Jason Milne’s spin bowling. Appleby’s 10th wicket fell in the 43rd over, with the side 10 runs short.
Milne recorded figures of three for 34.
Metropolitan moved a step closer to the semifinals after Old Boys defaulted the match.
Waikoikoi moved a step closer to booking a home semifinal with a 90-run win at home against Southland Boys’ High School.
Waikoikoi scored 220 and rolled their visitors for 130.
In the division one 40-over competition, Old Boys B beat Te Anau by 27 runs in Winton. Old Boys was in trouble at 58 for five but a 50-run partnership between opener Charanjeet Singh (33) and Jagroop Kahlon (29) got it back on track.
Farhan Malik then chipped in with 31 as the Royal Riders got through to 195 for nine.
Te Anau opener Alex Webster (73) scored the bulk of the northerners’ 168 runs but the side was always behind the required run-rate and was bowled out in the final over. Manpreet Bhangu took three wickets.
Blue Mountain beat Appleby B in Invercargill by 26 runs. Riley Gillions (36) and Hamish Ottrey (34) helped the Blueys post 130 in the first innings. Appleby was then bowled out for 104 with Adrian Gillions taking four for 23.
Wyndale was beaten on its home turf by Central Western. Spin bowler Ashleigh Harrison took five wickets for 22 runs as Wyndale was bowled out for 117. Thomas Menlove (49 not out) and Thomas Beggs (40 not out) were at the crease when Central reached the total in the 25th over with eight wickets in hand.
Albion had the bye.
Metropolitan B beat the division two competition leader Central Western B by eight wickets at Queens Park.
Central Western was struggling at 117 for six but Captain Dave Lindsay (37 not out) and Jeremy Robertson (30 not out) carried the team through to the competitive score of 175.
Metro opener Lokesh Nagaraj scored 50, and Zak Kelly was unbeaten on 77 when Metro reached the target.
Waikoikoi B beat Marist B by 93 runs. The 192-run opening partnership between Bradley McFaul (104) and Paul Clinton (77) helped the Koi to set a total of 243. Marist opener Callan Goodall (34) top-scored for a Marist team which was bowled for 150.
Southland Boys High B earned a three-wicket win in Riversdale.
- John Langford
