Maniototo would have thought it was in with a real chance of tipping up Queenstown in Central Otago club play on Saturday.
At the Queenstown Event Centre, Queenstown was dismissed for 131 inside 25 overs. Cameron Jackson again showed his class in top-scoring with 32, while Bailey Andrews-Kennedy added 24 and Amrit Gossal 23. Chief destroyer for Maniototo was Willie Miller who took five for 15 off five overs.
On the same ground that had just hosted nine games in the Under-19 World Cup, Maniototo crashed to be all out for 42 inside 13 overs.
Miller was the only batsman to reach double figures with 10. Andrews-Kennedy took six wickets for just 24 runs off seven overs in a fiery spell of pace bowling, and the consistent Adam Hubber picked up the remaining four wickets for 18.
Albion recorded a six-wicket win over Blacks Hill, scoring 123 for four wickets in 22.2 overs. Blacks Hill could muster only 120 batting first, with Tim McCormick top-scoring with 36, and Barry White making 24. Sean Webber took three for 30. Albion reached its target with Jason Roberts not out on 32 while opener Dan Edwards was fourth out with 29.
Dunstan High School First XI scored an impressive nine-wicket win over neighbour Molyneux in the senior reserve competition. Molyneux had first use of the conditions and got through to 131 for the loss of five wickets, with Gavin Breach scoring 37. The school side reached its target in 11 overs, making 135 with the loss of only one wicket. Ivan Hill was 60 not out and Jack Harrington made 49.
The Queenstown Zephyr side trekked to Naseby to play Maniototo and racked up 273 for five batting first. Gihan Fernando top-scored with 114 not out, with more than 80 runs in boundaries.
He was well supported by Gaurav Heblikar (52) and Rahul Roy, 42 not out. The sixth wicket partnership between Fernando and Roy of 125 made sure of a large total. Damian Carson (two for 38 off eight overs) was the pick of the home bowlers. The home side fell well short,
all out for 158 with only Hamish Wilson (32) and Lachie Elliott (30) making any significant contribution. Heblikar completed a good day with four for 42 and Rinku Singh took two for 22.
- Malcolm Jones
