With one round of the Southland Club Premier League remaining there is still one finals spot available for Appleby, Southland Boys’ High School or Marist to secure.
On Saturday, Appleby beat SBHS by 93 runs in a rain-reduced 43-over match at the school.
Appleby made an imposing 268, based on Jamie Clark’s innings of 137 off 130 balls.
Jacob Downing (23) and Clark put on a 71-run opening partnership. Clint Goad and Clark then put on a 180-run partnership before Goad was dismissed for 72 in the 41st over. Clark went in the next over.
Shaun Clapperton took four of the six wickets for Boys High and then contributed 28 runs to the 67-run opening partnership with Hamish Skelt (39). Jake Kura-Wharepouri top-scored with 43 but the school team was bowled out in 41 overs for 175.
Marist had a 24-run win over Metropolitan in another rain-reduced match at Queens Park. Marist was bowled out in 34 overs for a total of 127. Opener Jordan Goodall (23) and Captain Shaun Fitzgibbon put on 45 for the second wicket.
Once Fitzgibbon (55) was dismissed in the 23rd over the next seven wickets fell for 14 runs.
Metro bowlers Jason Osborne and Daniel George took four wickets each and conceded less than three runs per over. Metro’s run chase got off to a disastrous start, losing four wickets for just five runs. Mark Reid (29) and Daniel Mills (23) put on a 60-run partnership for the seventh wicket but that was it for Metro. Jeremy Boyle did most of the damage for Marist, with five wickets for 19 runs.
Old Boys beat Waikoikoi by 27 runs on the Queens Park main oval.
Old Boys did well to get to 215 before being bowled out in the 46th over. Old Boys was in a vulnerable position at 38 for four before Amapreet Singh and Cody McKenzie put on a 123-run partnership. After Singh was run out for 56, McKenzie went on to score 81 runs, with late support from Ryan Acland (20).
Jared McKenzie took four for 27 from eight overs.
Liam McFaul took three wickets and then scored the bulk of Waikoikoi’s runs. McFaul (79) was the seventh man out in the 41st over. Jason Chittock scored 26 but the team was 27 dismissed for 188 in the 47th over.
The division one and two semifinals will be played this Saturday.
Old Boys B is the top-qualifier in division one, ahead of Te Anau, Central Western and Wyndham. The division two semifinalists are Riversdale, Metropolitan B, Central B and Albion.
- John Langford
