The four semifinalists in Southland premier league are Waikoikoi, Old Boys, Metropolitan and Marist.
On Saturday morning there were three teams in fourth position on the same competition points.
Appleby, with a superior run rate had a chance to claim the spot if it could beat Old Boys but lost by 46 runs. hat meant the winner of the Marist and Southland Boys’ High School game would advance.
Marist won the match by 141 runs thanks largely to Shaun Fitzgibbon’s third century of the season, an unbeaten 116 from 83 balls.
Marist batted and its top four batsmen piled on the runs. Openers Marty McKenzie (37) and Blake Harper (45) put on a 64-run partnership in the first 10 overs.
Ben McKercher (67) and Shaun Fitzgibbon put on 111 for the third wicket. Reid Murray then took three wickets in four balls but Alec Mathieson (23 not out) was able to stick around for the last nine overs. At the other end, Fitzgibbon lifted the pace.
Chasing 300, the school batsmen struggled under pressure and were dismissed for 159. Reid Murray (25) and Hunter Cairns (28) kept the innings going into the 41st over.
Old Boys beat Appleby by 46 runs thanks to a good team contribution with the bat.
Old Boys made 273 for five.
Brayden Thomas (86) and Satwinder Singh (29) set a platform for the middle order batsmen Liam McWilliam (44) and Amarpreet Singh (60).
In Appleby’s reply openers Jamie Clark (52) and Khanin Saikia (43) started positively. Clark’s 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Calum Johnstone (21) looked promising but after that wickets fell regularly and Appleby was bowled out for 227 in the 48th over.
Spin bowler Liam McWilliam had taken four wickets.
Waikoikoi had a 139-run win on its home ground against Metropolitan.
The locals’ innings of 294 for six was anchored by two Southland representatives Jared McKenzie (100) and Hamish Cooke (59).
Cooke then took four cheap wickets to help wrap the Metro innings up for 155.
Old Boys B will host the division one final after beating Wyndale by 115 runs.
Te Anau demolished the defending champion Central Western by 74 runs in the other semi.
- John Langford
