College sport: Cricketers pray for fine Saturday

By DAVE WORSLEY

Organisers, players, coaches and enthusiasts will be hoping for fine weather on Saturday so they might finally complete a full round of cricket in the Auckland region.

In theory, Saturday will be round three of the Auckland first XI competition.

Round one, which was to have been played on October 9, has been postponed until November 20.

The second round suffered the same fate.

Either way it makes an indoor sport seem so much more pleasant at this time of the year.

The pick of round three games is the white section clash between Auckland Grammar and last year's Gillette Cup representative, Kelston Boys.

The match will be played at Kelston at 12.30pm.

From the Blue section, Westlake hosting King's should be the key contest.

There has been plenty of debate as to whether grass or artificial pitches should be used and which schools are using their Year 13 students.

While cricket in Auckland is struggling to get on the field, Waikato is riding high, including completing a round over Labour Weekend.

St Peters School ended Hillcrest High's reign as Dave Hoskin trophy holders and denied them getting their name engraved on the prized possession.

A school has to win three times while in possession of the trophy to get their name onto the trophy. It was a tense encounter, with St Peters winning by just six runs.

St Peters batted first and scored 146 for 8, top score going to Nick Earl with 31. Hillcrest replied with 140 all out in the last over with four balls remaining.

St Peters put the trophy on the line this weekend in the local derby against Cambridge High School.

In other matches Cambridge accounted for St Johns by nine wickets after a great spell of bowling by Scott Calder and Kevin Hogg which had St Johns at 5 for 5 after six overs.

Eventually St Johns were all out for 48, while Cambridge scored 50 for the loss of one wicket.

In a high-scoring encounter, St Pauls Collegiate second XI beat Fraser High by two wickets.

James Sherson top-scored for the match with 41 for St Johns.

Matamata scored 99 runs in their innings against Te Awamutu but bowled superbly to dismiss their opposition for 70 runs, thanks to Tim Mikkelson and Paul Wright, who took 3 for 12 and 3 for 10 respectively.

Matamata now share the lead on the points table with Morrinsville, on 12 points.

Morrinsville beat Hamilton Boys' third XI, making 165 for 7 thanks to a well-hit 42 not out by Jason Laurence. In reply Hamilton Boys scored 155 all out.

This week

* Saturday: Cricket, first XI competition (home team named first, all games 12.30pm), Blue Section: Westlake v Kings, Rangitoto v Rosmini, St Kentigern v Takapuna. White Section: Kelston v Auckland Grammar, Avondale v Mt Albert, Sacred Heart v Macleans.

* Tuesday: Touch, junior zone competition, various venues.