It was touch and go but Napier Technical Old Boys stumbled at the last hurdle at the Central Districts qualifying tournament of the National Club Championship in Palmerston North yesterday.
The Big Barrel-sponsored team lost by four wickets to Power Farming United CC side from Manawatu at Fitzherbert Park.
The Texans, who had the Central Districts pair of Jesse Ryder and Kieran Noema-Barnett, won the toss and posted 171 although they were 20 balls shy of using up their allotted 50 overs when they were skittled.
Opening batsman Matt Edmondson remained in the purple patch from his Furlong Cup-qualifying form with 79 runs but no one else hung around with him for long and that will make his Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative coach Colin Schaw happy before the Hawke Cup challenge against Bay of Plenty at Mt Maunganui this weekend.
Of the top-order batsmen, Noema-Barnett added 11 and Ryder and Liam Rukuwai each added 19.