CRICKET - Kamo get the better of Kaipara

A REINFORCED and revitalised Kamo sent a warning shot across the bow of the rest of the Whangarei Premier grade clubs on Saturday with an eight-wicket win over Kaipara Flats in the first round of the limited-over competition.
Kamo have picked up four players from the Bledisloe club who pulled out of the season's second limited-over competition. With English professional Peter Morgan joining Northland all-rounder Andy Thompson and the experienced Hitash Patel and James Welsh available, Kamo's stocks are certainly rising.
Only Morgan and Patel were available against Kaipara who have contested the one-day and two-day finals this season.
The match at Kaipara Flats was delayed because the Kamo bowlers could not find firm ground in their run-ups after heavy overnight rain.
The captains decided on a Twenty20 format and the Kamo bowlers restricted Kaipara to 139/5, Mike Taylor top-scoring with 36 and Patel taking 2/24.
Qasim Shiekh (66no) and Morgan (34no) came to the wicket after the fall of the Kamo openers and dug in to reach the winning score with two overs to spare.
If Kamo's resurgence surprised Kaipara, Onerahi stunned double champions City beating them by 135 runs at Kensington Park.
A timely 110 from Courtney Keep, including 12 fours and one six, gave the Onerahi bowlers a good total of 242/7 to defend in the rain-shortened 47-over match.
Keep joined Harry Darkins at the wicket with Onerahi in some strife at 3/46 but quickly took control, timing the ball sweetly and the pair took the score to 143 before Darkins was dismissed.
City's demise came at the hands of Derek Bond (5/16) and Darkins (4/43). The pair were brought into the attack after City raced off to a good start, putting 56 on the board after six overs. The bowlers found a consistent line and length, forcing the batsmen to play their shots and in the end the pressure proved too great and wickets fell steadily.
City were short three Northland representatives but with four of their regular bowlers in the side the value of Keep's innings shouldn't be diminished.
Prospects for a game at Maungakaramea looked in doubt after near-torrential rain, but once the sun came out, the match against Whangarei Boys High School quickly got underway.
The Boys High openers, Joe O'Sullivan (32) and Todd Beehre (29), got off to a good start but their middle order couldn't back them up. Paul Thornton, in his last game for Maungakaramea before leaving for university, finished with the best figures of 5/45 and only a late flourish by Sean Doel (28no) took Boys High to a defendable total of 164.
The Maungakaramea chase stuttered at first before Thornton was again once again outstanding, scoring 45 and setting up the win. Any doubt about the result faded when Craig Gurr came to the wicket at 76/4, scored a six off the first ball he faced and then hit four fours before he was caught behind off Mills. Maungakaramea then went on to win the match for the loss of seven wickets.