Cricket: Kaipara make flyer

Kaipara Flats started their one-day cricket campaign in style by denting City's ambitions with a solid four-wicket win at Cobham Oval.

The visiting team got off to a good start in the first round of the premier grade 50-over competition by winning the toss and putting City in to bat on the fresh Cobham deck on Saturday.

Kevin Forde got the early breakthrough in the second over with a good ball catching the edge of City import Jaime Morgan's bat, with Brad Wilson taking a sharp catch at second slip.

City's Ian Page and Joey Yovich combined to put on 40 for the second wicket before Page was bowled by Gordon Penney.

It then became a tough grind for the Kaipara bowlers as the experienced Yovich was joined by Harry Darkins, to put on 82 for the third wicket. Darkins was the more aggressive of the two and went on to make a free-flowing 76.

But it was Yovich who proved to be City's talisman and when he was dismissed in the first over after drinks for 41, things changed dramatically in Kaipara's favour. Forde claimed another wicket, trapping Sam Cloutman lbw with the very next ball, starting a City collapse which saw them go from 142-2 to being bowled out in the 47th over for 157. Forde ended up with 4-23 and Penney 3-38 leaving City 20 or 30 short of a good score but the home team weren't daunted and made Kaipara work for their win.

Kaipara lost Wilson in the sixth over with only 18 in the board but Jordan Kose stayed composed and dug in to compile a handy 23. A small stutter in the middle of the innings saw Kaipara reduced to 65-4 before Michael Parlane and Forde came together in the middle to put together a fightback. Their partnership of 89 righted the ship and was broken only eight runs short of a win.

Parlane and Matt Taylor finished off the innings with Kaipara claiming the points and a handy first-up victory.

A great bowling performance by Dwayne Bowden dominated the match between Onerahi Central and Whangarei Boys' High School at Kensington Park.

The ex-Wellington first-class left-arm quick ripped the heart out of the WBHS top order giving his side a great start to the 50-over competition. Bowden's 5 for 14 allowed WBHS to muster only 69 runs before being bowled out. His ability to swing the ball at pace makes him an exciting prospect.

In reply, Onerahi Central only lost two wickets in chasing down the total in the 19th over. Craig Russell was rock solid at the top of the innings and was unbeaten on 37 while Nick Stobart bowled tidily for the WBHS team and picked up both wickets.

In the third match, Maungakaramea comfortably accounted for Kamo with a seven wicket win. Joseph O'Sullivan led the way with four wickets as Maungakaramea bowled out Kamo for 132.

Maungakaramea opener Dean Child set up the chase well with a solid 32 and on his dismissal Northland skipper Neal Parlane and Black Cap Tim Southee came together to score 34 not-out and 39 not-out respectively to get home in a canter.