Central Hawke's Bay premier men's club cricketers claimed the 40-over competition crown on Saturday. Photo / File
Central Hawke's Bay premier men's club cricketers claimed the 40-over competition crown on Saturday. Photo / File
They were coming and going at Forrest Gate Domain, Ongaonga, like dairy cattle put through an efficient rotary milking system.
When 12 wickets had tumbled in the premier men's cricket club match, Ruahine Motor Central Hawke's Bay CC had thumped Reynard Health Supplies Havelock North CC by eight wickets.
"It'sgood for the club to get a trophy in the bank and that's why we play," said CHB captain Dominic Thompson as they lifted the Laver and Wood 40-over Trophy after five rounds of the Property Brokers Hawke's Bay Cricket competition.
CHB pipped Innovate Electrical Napier Technical Old Boys (NTOB) on a marginally healthier net run rate after the sides were tied on 27 points each with four victories each.
Thompson said the 50-over MJF Shrimpton Memorial Trophy was still to be decided with two rounds to play with the semifinals on March 21 and the final on March 28.
"It's the trophy that all teams want to win most."
He didn't think the prime real estate had accounted for too many scalps but instead put it down to some good bowling after Rhythm Sharma claimed 4-19 and an equally frugal opening seamer Hamish Lewis took 3-19 with Aussie tweaker Kyle Gardiner backing up with 2-16 as the villagers were skittled for 55 in 22.5 overs.
"We bowled well and bowled consistently outside the off stump," the 24-year-old said. "Luck was on our side [because] everything they did came to our hands and we took our chances."
Thompson said they had to be patient as batsmen to work themselves in but when the opportunity of a boundary cropped up they had to execute deftly because the outfield was quick to reward.
In reply CHB lost openers Lewis and Jacob Smith cheaply before Scott Schaw, unbeaten on 16 at first drop, and No 4 Joshua Clarkson stopped the rot with 25 not out as they helped overhaul the target with 2-59 in nine overs.
Thompson said had the coin flipped his way he would have padded up first to score more runs at the back-end of the innings rather than trying to rack up runs too quickly.
His experience at club level was of wickets tending to become flatter at the end of the summer.
Napier Technical Old Boys CC have won the overall Hawke's Bay club championship crown eight times in a row. Photo / Supplied
At Nelson Park, Napier, Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall CC were equally punishing of The Station Napier Old Boys' Marist (NOBM) with a seven-wicket result. NOBM had won the toss and posted 7-127 in their 40 allotted overs. Ashish Gurung scored 62 runs while fellow opener Joe Collings-Well added 39 but the men in green didn't find much support to make their platform sturdy.
Divan Bester (3-14) and Bryce Green (2-41) were the chief destroyers for Cornwall.
At the adjacent wicket, NTOB beat You Travel Taradale CC by five wickets.
The visitors won the toss and posted 165 all out in 37.4 overs with opening batsman Luke Wright scoring 58 runs and Callum Hewetson adding 62 at first drop.
Central Districts spinner Jayden Lennox took 3-22 and Todd Watson 2-16 for NTOB.
NTOB chased down the target with 5-168 in 28.4 overs. CD batsman Christian Leopard scored 52 from 47 balls while fellow opening batsman Liam Rukuwai laid down the platform with a run-a-ball 40 but Taradale didn't help their cause with 15 wides.
Ethan Madden took 2-17 while Lachlan Gouder was the most frugal with 1-23. With two rounds remaining in the limited-overs competition and a maximum of 18 points up for grabs, the Texans have claimed eight premier championship overall points in a row.
