Jefferies in charge in Lansdowne upset

BY GARY CAFFELL
Veteran all-rounder Chris Jefferies played a big hand in Lansdowne's come-from-behind outright win over defending champions Greytown in their Bidwell Cup Wairarapa senior men's inter-club cricket match which finished at the Park Sportsground in Masterton on Saturday.
Jefferies scored 43 as Lansdowne struggled through to 141 in their first innings and then claimed two wickets as Greytown, thanks in the main to tail-enders Shane Mellor (44) and Hayden Spierling (55), reached 212, a healthy lead of 71 runs.
It was Jefferies again who took the spotlight as Lansdowne produced a markedly improved showing at their second turn at bat.
He came in at No.6 and signalled his intentions by registering fours with his first two scoring shots.
From there on he scored freely all around the wicket, finally being dismissed for 99 when Mellor penetrated his defences. He struck 15 fours in all
Henry Cameron (51), Sam Curtis (30), Ngatai Walker (23), Doug Johnson (23) and Chois Jackson (23) all lent solid support and Lansdowne was able to declare their second innings closed at a very respectable 281-7.
John Uys was the main wicket taker for Greytown with 4-51 off 11 overs while Josh Doherty took 2-35.
There was a dramatic change in fortunes for paceman Hayden Spierling though.
He took seven wickets in Lansdowne's first innings but from 13 overs in the second finished with 0-87
Set 211 for the outright win Greytown were always struggling against a six-pronged Lansdowne attack and were all out for 167.
Mark Jonas was typically aggressive in striking nine fours in his 47 while opener Willie Tatham made 21 and Glen Jonas 20.
Jefferies completed a memorable game for Lansdowne by taking 2-33 from his nine overs while Choi Jackson took 2-53 off 11 overs, A.Wilson 2-24 off three overs and Sam Curtis 2-7 from five overs.
Red Star became the surprise leaders in the Bidwell Cup series when they pulled off a five-wicket win over Wairarapa College at the Pugh Sportsbowl.
Red Star led by 42 runs on the first innings but then Wairarapa College opener Cameron Stone gave his side a sniff of victory by scoring 71 runs in their second innings and setting Red Star a target of 116 runs for maximum points.
Jared Watt picked up a "bag" for Red Star in taking 5-43 and despite a hamstring strain Carwyn Caffell finished with 3-42.
To say Red Star's second innings started shakily would be a gross understatement with Wairarapa College pace bowler Seth Rance claiming 3-5 in his first three overs and having Stars in deep strife at 20-4.
However, reliable opener Shane Tyacke kept his wicket intact in scoring 43 not out and with Watt smashing 19 runs of six balls and Dion Knight making a valuable 31 not out in what was his retirement game, Red Star got home with five wickets to spare. Rance finished with 3-17 and Joel Macklin 2-35.
Academy notched their first Bidwell Cup win of the season when they defeated Rathkeale College by five wickets.
Rathkeale scored 157 in their first innings with Andy Dodd scoring 66 and Doug Bracewell 30.
Bowling for the Academy Joe Hills took 3-35, Ben Renall 3-39 and Andy McElnea 2-57.
Academy made 202 at their first turn at bat, top scorers being Chris Chambers (45), Eddie Hopkins (43) and Will Rist (38).
Simon Clinton-Baker with 3-60, Bracewell with 2-35 and Dodd with 3-44 were the main wicket takers for Rathkeale.
The Rathkeale second innings of 166 saw Bracewell again take the limelight with a knock of 47 while Tim Lucas made 29 and Duncan Watts 36 not out.
Hills finished with the impressive bowling figures of 5-54 for Academy while McElnea took 3-28.
Academy was left with 122 runs to get for the outright win and they reached their target for the loss of five wickets with Rist (49 not out) and Hills (39) doing the spadework.