Greytown take honours over Wairarapa College

Wairarapa all-rounder Seth Rance produced a hard-hit half-century as Greytown took the honours over a depleted Wairarapa College side on the first day of their Wairarapa Cricket Association Bidwell Cup match at Greytown on Saturday.
Rance came in at number four and reached 53 before being caught by Wairarapa College wicketkeeper Alex Treseder. He was largely responsible for Greytown finishing the day on 147-5, exactly the same score for which Wairarapa College had been dismissed earlier in proceedings.
Rance had played the previous three days for the Central Districts A side in their match in Masterton with the Wellington A side, coming in as a late replacement for original selection Kurt Richards, the Hawkes Bay strike bowler who was sidelined through injury problems.
With four first innings wickets Rance's influence with the ball was a contributing factor in Central Districts's 90-run win but with Richards recovered he was not required for the provincial A tournament which gets under way in Christchurch this week.
Unbeaten on 31 for Greytown against Wairarapa College was Wal Tatham and the prospects of the southerners building a handsome first innings lead will now rest on his shoulders.
Bowling for Wairarapa College which were without five of their regular players including Central Districts A opener Sam Curtis and Wairarapa senior rep Robbie Anderson Tom Adamson took 1-14 off seven overs and newcomer Oliver Burt 1-6 off four overs.
Top scorers for Wairarapa College in their first innings were William Sioban, who made 31, and James Adamson 23. Medium pacer Ewan Burt had a heavy workload for Greytown, sending down 25 overs and taking 4-58. Dean Southey finished with 1-25, Tom Broughton 3-13 and Kuranui College student Blake Lyford, who later made a useful 21 with the bat, 1-6.
Rathkeale Cricket Academy clearly had the better of the first day of their Bidwell Cup clash with Lansdowne Queen Elizabeth Park Oval.
Lansdowne batted first and were all out for 127. Doug Johnson (25) and Dane Buchanan (26) were the only batsmen to show much resistance to an Academy attack spearheaded by Chad Yates (3-20) and Steve Coleman (3-4).
Yates and Coleman were also to the fore in Academy's first innings. Coleman made 53 and Yates was 77 not out when stumps were drawn with their score standing at 198-5. Bowling for Lansdowne, Scully took 2-20.
Aaron Wilson grabbed the limelight as Red Star played themselves into a strong position in their match with Rathkeale College at Rathkeale.
Spinner Wilson snared four wickets as Rathkeale were dismissed for 125, almost half of which were scored by promising youngster Matthew Stringfellow. Giving Wilson solid support was Peter Sigvertsen, who took three wickets.
Red Star had earlier made 214 in their first innings and there too Wilson was the standout, top scoring with 39.
Meanwhile, all club matches originally set down for Saturday, February 9 will now be played a day later to avoid a clash with the one-day international between England and New Zealand in Wellington.
There has also been a change of date for the Bidwell Cup final. It will now be held at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval in Masterton on February 23 and 24 with Hawke Cup rules applying.