CRICKET - Lee stars in good win

An outstanding all-round performance by Jamie Lee was the catalyst for a comfortable victory over Waikato Valley in the second round of the Brian Dunning one-day tournament in Taupo yesterday.
Lee top-scored for Northland with 56 runs as the side compiled 300 runs in their 50 overs and then starred with the ball with five wickets for 42 off 10 overs as Waikato's chase ran out of steam, reaching just 207 for 8 in their 50 overs.
It was a much better effort in the field by Northland.
They succeeded in shrugging off a less than perfect opening performance against Poverty Bay the previous day, which they won by just a handful of runs after posting 307 runs in their first innnings.
"It was a far better performance all round for us, we fielded and bowled a lot better," team manager Murray Child said.
"Northland did the damage with the ball in the middle of the Waikato innings, when the batting side were looking to accelerate, with Brad Wilson and Lee both bowling tightly and they were well backed up in the field.
"They put in a more complete performance probably caused by the wake-up call from the day before against Poverty Bay but having said that Poverty Bay beat Counties today, so they're really a team on the rise," he added.
Wilson also contributed 36 runs to the total and he shared an opening partnership of 115 with Brad Chard, who went on to score 55, one of several good batting performances in the team.
"To get 300 runs in consecutive days is a pretty good effort," Lee said.
"We won the toss on a good batting track today and managed to bat pretty solidly all the way through the innings. It was a pretty good team effort."
The Northland team's final game in the three-day tournament is against Bay of Plenty today.
The Bay side were in a good position to inflict a defeat on rivals Hamilton yesterday but choked in the chase.
Lee said he thought it might just make them a tougher proposition when they meet today.
"They've some pretty good players both in their batting line-up and their opening bowlers and they're always dangerous. We've got to make sure we maintain the standards we've set so far and make sure we don't relax," he said.
Scores: Northland 300 for 7 in 50 overs (Jamie Lee 55, Brad Chard 54, Brad Wilson 36, Ben Cochrane 34) beat Waikato Valley 207 for 8 in 50 overs (Scott Major 55 not out, Jamie Lee 5/41).