Academy shut out Red Star to win Cup

Their tactics might not have exactly enthralled the small gathering of spectators who bothered to watch the action but more importantly they had a successful ending for Rathkeale Cricket Academy in the grand final of the Wairarapa Cricket Association's Bidwell Cup senior men's competition played at the park Oval in Masterton over the weekend.
Knowing that as top qualifiers a draw would be good enough to win them the title, Academy ensured that the time they took up at the batting crease gave Red Star little chance of securing the outright win they required for overall victory.
In their two completed innings Academy batted for a total of 163.3 overs while Red Star declared their first innings closed after 35 overs and their second lasted only 18.2 overs before stumps were drawn for the last time
There were three major contributors to Academy's first innings total of 260 with the ever-consistent Fran Finnemore making 63 (nine fours), opener Hussain Shabbir 45 (four fours and one six) and relative newcomer Ross Mitchell 44 ( five fours).
It was a long day at the office for the Red Star attack with eight bowlers being used, all of them struggling for penetration on a placid pitch and against an Academy side much more intent on keeping their wickets intact than going for their shots. Peter Sigvertsen (2-24), Shay O'Gorman (2-21) and Daniel Stoneley (2-21) did, however, have something to show for their efforts.
With an eye on the clock Red Star had to look to force the pace in their first innings but only Cosgrove, whose unbeaten 50 included five fours and two sixes, and Jared Watt who hit one six and two fours in his 43, got going and they declared at 167-9, 90 runs behind.
It was medium pacer Steve Coleman who was the main destroyer for Academy, taking 4-34 from his 13 overs.
Again there was no urgency in the Academy second innings with the emphasis wisely being on shutting Red Star completely out of the game and their 169 came in 72 overs. This time it was middle order batsman Nick Hutchinson who led the way with a solid knock of 64 which included six fours. Spinner Aaron Wilson put down 32 overs for Red Star and finished with the excellent figures of 6-53.
Set 263 runs for the outright win Red Star had no show of reaching their target in the time allowed but opener Daniel Stoneley took the chance to provide one of the most entertaining knocks seen in club cricket this season. His first three scoring shots were fours and he went on to make 121 (16 fours and three sixes), an incredible effort considering Red Star's 173-3 came in just 18.2 overs.
SHORT SCOREBOARD
ACADEMY 260 (Singh 2, Shabbir 45, McElnea 2, Mitchell 44, Coleman 27, Hutchinson 17, Finnemore 63, Samwell 4, Deller 11 not out, Argent 15, Littlewood 3, extras 27; Watt 24-4-94-1, Thompson 16-3-31-3, Sigvertsen 12.3-2-24-1, Wilson 8-4-11-0, O'Gorman 14-4-21-2, Edwards 6-0-20-0, Cosgrove 2-1-4-0, Stoneley 10-2-26-2) and 169 (Singh 22, Shabbir 1, McElnea 2, Mitchell 11, Coleman 21, Hutchinson 64, Finnemore 23, Samwell 1, Deller 2, Argent 4, Litlewood 0 not out, extras 18; Watt 22-3-77-2, Wilson 32-11-53-6, Sigvertsen 3-1-2-0, O'Gorman 9-0-20-1, Edwards 6-4-4-1.) drew with RED STAR 167-9dec (Edwards 22, Stoneley 12, Watt 43, Burling 0, Hull 7, Wyatt 7, Cosgrove 50 not out, Sigvertsen 12, O'Gorman 0, Wilson 4, Thompson 2 not out, extras 10; Argent 8-0-43-2, Littlewood 4-0-27-1, Coleman 13-2-34-4, Finnemore 4-1-16-1, Samwell 6-0-38-1) and 173-3 (Edwards 21, Stoneley 121, Watt 6, Burling 23 not out, extras 3; Argent 4-0-38-0, Coleman 6-0-50-0, Finnemore 5-0-55-0, McElnea 3-0-29-1, Samwell 0 2-0-0-1).